Correspondent
PEREN, April 4
CAMPAIGNING for DAN consensus candidate and State Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, reached Peren town today after completing its tour to Athibung, Nsong, Tening and Mbaulwa areas under Peren district. Party leaders from the NPF, NCP, BJP and JD(U) parties gathered here at Peren Town Council today and extended ‘full support to DAN consensus candidate in the upcoming Parliamentary Election slated for April 9.State Planning Minister, TR Zeliang, campaigning for DAN Consensus candidate Neiphiu Rio, said that Rio’s willingness to sacrifice the Chief Minister’s seat to contest the Lok sabha election was not an easy decision any man could make. Highlighting the achievements of the State government, Zeliang opined that Rio, after serving the State by virtue of his vision and capability, had passed out as the most suitable candidate to represent the Nagas at the centre. Also highlighting on Projects like SARDP, NERLP, Foothill Roads etc, Zeliang said that State projects under these programmes and other significant needs would be considered on top-priority only when a capable leader like Rio represented the Nagas at the Centre.
Exposing strong faith on the candidature of Rio, State Planning Minister, while urging party workers to compete for the highest vote margin, opined that vote margin would surely count in the near future although Rio would ‘surely win’ in the upcoming election.
Further, taking a dig at the State Congress Party and its policies, he maintained that the party had become habituated in blaming others without doing anything. The party’s (Congress) entire manifestoes are simply criticisms as they have no positive policies and programmes to portray before the people, he said. During the past 11 years, what has the State Congress Party done for the Nagas except sit idle and blame the popular government, he questioned.
He predicted that Congress will be defeated in the upcoming Parliamentary Elections and Governments in States like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Assam etc will also collapse once the central Government is formed.
Also speaking at the occasion, Namri Nchang, MLA & Chairman NHHDC, opined that ‘the time has come to chose between right and wrong.’ “This is the time to decide our future and if we do not choose the right path this time; there is no point if elections are held a thousand times.” “It is now or never”, he said.
‘Of all the elections, this upcoming election is of great significance as we are going to elect someone who can voice out the needs of the Nagas in the Indian Parliament’; he maintained while soliciting support for the DAN consensus candidate, Neiphiu Rio. Also coming down on the Congress Party and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said the ‘Congress party must not be allowed to further devastate the economy which has fallen to an unfortunate 4% under the Congress regime.’
Cautioning that the ‘the fall of Congress Party in the recently concluded Delhi Elections is just the beginning and worse is yet to come’, the MLA from 6 Tening regretted that “Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not visit Nagaland even once though being a representative of neighbouring Assam.” “For a brighter future, Peace and Development; vote for Neiphiu Rio”, he further appealed.
BJP Party led by its State unit vice president, Avi Zeliang, while rubbishing the reports of the Congress Party against BJP and its policies, said BJP being an alliance of the DAN Government would extend ‘full support’ to Neiphiu Rio in the election on April 9. He said the State BJP has included Peren district in the ‘Developmental Visions’ and has already been submitted to the Party’s high command.
President of NPF Peren Division, Dennis Elung, while urging the gathering to support DAN consensus candidate, asserted that ‘Neiphiu Rio is working not only for the NPF party but for the Nagas in general.’ While making fervent appeal to the opposition Congressmen to join the mainstream, Elung said that Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi’s speech at Kohima was just a fictitious tale bereft of truth.
Earlier, the programme was chaired by Manuel Kamson, president NPF 7 Peren A/C, while God’s blessing was invoked by Namyi Nsa, treasurer NPF Peren division. Benediction prayer was led by Nampeu Nza, Vice President NPF Peren Division.
While the campaign is scheduled to continue at Jalukie town on Saturday; Nzauna, Mhai Dungki and Punglwa villages have resolved to render ‘mass- support’ to DAN Consensus candidate in the upcoming Election.
