DIMAPUR, JANUARY 16 (MExN): Chief minister Neiphiu Rio may not likely get an easy walkover this time in his title chase to the legislative assembly for the sixth consecutive term.
A “timber man” and former BJP candidate in the 2007 Dimapur-I A/C by-election, who has been literally in the jungles for a couple of years, has stepped out again into the political arena and is bent on giving a tough fight to the NPF supremo.
Kevise Sogotsu from Tchüchüma village under Northern Angami, a social worker and timber trader by profession said he is ready to take on “giant Rio” in the ensuing assembly election from Northern Angami –II A/C.
“I will definitely contest against Rio in the coming election with the blessing of the Congress party”, Kevise told mediapersons at a press conference here at his Northern Angami Colony (Walford) residence Wednesday afternoon.
Kevise said he was compelled to contest in the election after seeing the widening disparity between the haves and haves nots in his constituency over the last 25 years. He claimed that the past ten years of Rio’s reign as the Chief Minister has turned out to be a curse instead of blessing to the people of Northern Angami. “Only a dozen of his chosen men have become very rich overnight while the general public continues to groan and suffer”, he said.
The candidate also alleged that during 25 years that Rio represented the constituency, there was no visible development.
“My main intention to contest the election is to highlight the plight of the common man and to fight for their rights and due share of development”, he said.
Stating that hunger and sufferings were not strangers to him, the timber man said that if elected, he would try eliminate the disparity and iniquities that presently exist between the haves and haves not.
“The days of the rich are numbered and now is the time for the common man to raise their voice and fight for justice and rights”, Kevise said.
He said though the Chief Minister has amassed wealth over the years and would definitely woo the voters with money, yet the people of the constituency would not be easily taken in this time.
“My appeal to the constituency people is that they should not look for immediate gains by selling their votes. They should rather think about the future and that of their children,” he said.
“I have voted for Rio five times in the last 25 years, this time he should vote for me”, Kevise said in a lighter vein.
Meanwhile, Kevise has also thanked former Congress candidate Setvotso Seyie for giving his blessing to Kevise for the ensuing election.
