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Neiphiu Rio addressing the crowd at the NDPP Election Campaign Kick off program at Chiechama Village Ground.[/caption]
Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Feb. 12 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party's (NDPP) chief ministerial candidate Neiphiu Rio has asserted that facilitating an early solution to the protracted Naga political issue was the top priority of the newly forged alliance of the NDPP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking at his election campaign kick-off at 11th Northern Angami-II assembly constituency at Chiechama village ground on Mon., Rio said it was not for the first time that a regional party was forming alliance with the BJP. He pointed out that the NPF and the BJP had been political allies for the past 15 years 'but this is the first time that a pre-poll seat-sharing agreement was being made.' He acknowledged that there was apprehension among the people and judgmental statements were doing the rounds on social media. The MP said that the state's BJP and NDPP leaders were in no way going to compromise their faith and they were taking such messages as communication to carefully lead the people.
During his time as chief minister of Nagaland, he said, there was no problem about the existence of an alliance with the BJP. He felt that the present leadership may have ‘compromised in many ways’ that concerned the church.
Referring to their prospects in the elections, Rio said he was confident the NDPP and BJP alliance would get absolute majority.
With regard to his ties with the Naga People’s Front (NPF), Rio said he had made ‘maximum sacrifices’ for the party. He recalled revamping the party back in 2003 and had won three consecutive elections with the NPF. However, he said, the party and its present leadership in the government had ‘made a mess.’
“When a leader leads from behind, it is very dangerous for the people,” he remarked.
With all the elected representatives of the 12th house becoming part of the government without opposition, he pointed out that whatever they were doing was not good enough in the eyes of the people. With the people not getting the benefits meant for them under the opposition-less government, the public had been made to play the part of opposition. Everything is out there for the public to judge, he said.
Meanwhile, Rio acknowledged the Nagaland BJP unit and its president for agreeing to a 20:40 seat-sharing agreement with the NDPP, and also the constituency's representative Dr. Neiphrezo Keditsu for sacrificing his seat so that he (Rio) could come back and contest in the elections.
While delivering his speech at the programme, he informed of having received the news that his opponent, NPF candidate Chupfu-o Angami, had withdrawn his nomination to contest in the forthcoming election. The former chief minister expressed gratitude to Angami and his supporters for their magnanimous gesture.
Later, speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the event, Rio justified his joining the NDPP saying that he was backstabbed time and again by the NPF's leadership.
On being asked to comment that he was being held responsible for the crises in the NPF, Rio flatly denied it. “It was on my request that they sent me (to Delhi). But they betrayed me and they did not consult me. They stabbed me from behind because of greed and craze for power had destroyed everything—the image of the party, the government and the Nagas as a whole,” he lamented.
When reminded that in 2008, during his tenure as chief minister, the party had passed a resolution that a sitting MPs would not be given ticket as most of them returned to contest in the state election, he said that it was a political decision that a sitting MP should not return to the state unless the party or the people felt that his service was required hinting that his return had been due to the latter.
In a brief speech Dr. Neiphrezo Keditsu, the present representative of Northern Angami-II AC, thanked the people of the constituency for giving him the opportunity to represent them in the 12th house. He said despite aspirations to do a lot for the people not much could be done due to the instability of the government. He acknowledged Rio for 'sacrificing his future in national politics' and heeding to the call of the people to return to state politics. He assured the constituency's people that he was, without any hesitation, giving up the seat for Rio to contest from the same constituency. However, he said his stepping aside for Rio did not mean he was ending his political career. He added that he would continue to work for the people and the party.
Keditsu is also a son-in-law of Rio.
In the backdrop of apprehension from various quarters pertaining to the new alliance and seat-sharing agreement between the BJP and the NDPP, the state BJP unit's president Visasolie Lhoungu on Mon. asserted that the decision was taken by central leaders in view that a stable government in the state would usher in development and that the protracted Naga political issue would be pursued to its 'logical conclusion.'
Speaking at the election campaign kick-off programme for Northern Angami-II AC NDPP candidate Rio at Chiechama, Lhoungu said that the BJP as a political party in Nagaland had expanded over the years. The party had decided that it would not go into any alliance with other parties and would contest the election independently.
However, the central party leaders were of the view that the BJP being a national party, an alliance with a regional party in the state would deliver a 'better, understanding governance' to the Naga people, he said. He remarked that although the BJP was in an alliance with the NPF previously, the latter was unwilling to share more than 9-10 seat while the NDPP agreed to 20 seats. Therefore, he said that the BJP national leaders decided to form an alliance with the NDPP.
“As the decision for the alliance has been decided at the central level, we have to abide by the decision of our leaders, being a national party,” he said. He pointed out that although the party was a part of an alliance with other parties in the state, there were no seat-sharing. For the forthcoming election though, the BJP and the NDPP are working together 'through seat-sharing.' Both BJP and NDPP candidates are ‘alliance candidates’ and both parties need to support each another, he said.
“Our objective should be to help and support our alliance candidates to help them win and form the government with unity and cooperation,” Lhoungu said. He clarified that ‘supporting one another’ did not mean that BJP members were joining NDPP or NDPP members were shifting allegiance.
He said that the Naga people desired Rio to return as chief minister and lead the state. This was validated and agreed by BJP leaders that he should be the chief ministerial candidate. “The BJP has full faith in him (Rio) to lead the Naga people. Let us work together as a team and not on party colours,” he appealed.