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Neiphiu Rio speaking at the rally in Zunheboto on May 24[/caption]
Dimapur, May 24 (EMN): The Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that the forthcoming Lok Sabha by-elections is not a contest between two tribes but between two political parties, and between the ruling and the opposition. Rio said this while addressing the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) rally at Zunheboto town on May 24. Stating as a crucial choice between the leadership of the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) and the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA), Rio appealed the people to support the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party. A press release from NDPP’s media cell informed about the rally on Thursday.
Rio described the PDA consensus candidate Tokheho Yepthomi as a leader who has come up from the grassroots level. He was said to have expressed his full confidence in Yepthomi’s vast experiences and leadership capabilities. Chief Minister also spoke on the advantage of the NDPP being in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which heads the Nationalist Democratic Alliance government at the centre and sending the ruling party’s candidate to Parliament.
Addressing the Zunheboto’s rally, Rio stated that instability of the erstwhile NPF led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government from 2014 onwards had severely affected all spheres of governance and public life so much so that deficits increased without any works being implemented. He also clarified the allegations of the NPF leaders’ actual budget figures and the correct deficits during his earlier tenure and the accumulated deficits when he was away in Delhi as Member of Parliament.
Asserting on the incompetency of the NPF leadership, Chief Minister said, ‘due to lack of decisive leadership and misleading assurances particularly during the Urban Local Bodies fiasco in January 2017, the state witnessed massive public protests, rampage, burning of government vehicles and offices, police firing upon civilians wherein two precious lives were lost which led to a war-like situation.’ All these happened during the tenure of the Opposition Leader when TR Zeliang was the Chief Minister due to which he had to step down ultimately, Rio added.
“I have been telling the truth about the misdeeds and misgovernance of the NPF during the last four years but they (NPF) are accusing me of criticising them. Do they mean to say I should not speak the truth?” Rio asserted.
Expressing sincere gratitude to the people of Zunheboto for electing the PDA government to power in the previous general assembly elections, Rio hoped that the people would deliver similar ‘massive winning margins’ as seen in the earlier Lok Sabha elections. He appealed to the people to cast their vote for the PDA consensus candidate Tokheho Yepthomi.