Correspondent
KOHIMA, MARCH 7
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today declared veteran politician KV Pusa as the Congress candidate for the ensuing 2014 Lok Sabha polls in Nagaland.
Addressing media persons at the Congress Bhavan, Kohima on Friday, NPCC president SI Jamir said Pusa’s name has been recommended by the NPCC search committee as INC candidate for the Lok Sabha election taking into consideration all aspects including submission made by DCC presidents to field a veteran Congress leader. The NPCC election committee has also endorsed the recommendation today and the final approval from AICC is awaited, Jamir said.
It was learned that state Congressmen Dr. Roland Lotha, Chubatangit Jamir, P Longang Konyak and Sulanthung H Lotha also sought the INC ticket to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha poll. However, the party’s search committee was said to be under obligation to consider the present circumstances to field a prominent and an “equally forceful candidate against that of the ruling NPF”.
KV Pusa was earlier the convener of the NPCC search committee for INC candidate for the Lok Sabha election. But he reportedly resigned from the same on March 2 and was replaced by former Congress MLA Konngam as the convener of the committee. Other members of the committee included Sentichuba, Joshua Sumi and Vaprumu Demo.
Pusa will be contesting in the ensuing LS election against Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. Rio has been named as the DAN consensus candidate and will contest on Naga People’s Front (NPF) ticket.
NPCC president disclosed that NPF president Dr Shiirhozelie Liezietsu had approached him for an all-party consensus candidate from the State. However, Jamir’s contended the NPF should have consulted the PCC before they (NPF) announced their candidate.
On how the state Congress is gearing up for the poll, he said elections are never definite for any party. “While others may fight with money power, we will fight with issues,” the NPCC president said. Solution to Naga political problem as well as ‘misgovernance and corruption by the DAN government’ etc. will be the major poll issues of the Congress party, he stated.
Meanwhile, Congress Legislature Party leader Tokheho Yepthomi, who was also present at the press briefing, alleged mismanagement in Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) in the State during the last five years. Also alleging major shortcomings of the present government, he claimed that the current deficit of the State could touch over Rs 2000 crore for the year 2013-14.
The CLP leader stated that funds for the State were not being enhanced as the government has failed to produce the utilisation certificate and report for the Rs700 crore “unused balance” claimed by it to the Planning Commission. He also asserted that the State government employees are having a “holiday” as the government has failed to bring out the works programme for the year 2013-14.
He further alleged that the government could not even respond to the Union government when asked about the “unspent balance” of Rs 700 crore during 2012-2013. The Congress MLA said the government failed to produce utilisation certificate of the fund provided by the Centre which was supposed to be done by September 2013, then extended to January 2014, and still remains to be cleared.
Senior congress leaders Nillo Rengma, Mhao and Medokul Sophie were also present at the press briefing.
