Nagaland assembly election 2023: Congress open to alliance with like-minded parties

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Jan. 7 (EMN): Ahead of the upcoming state Assembly poll, the Congress party on Saturday hinted at making moves to form an alliance with “like-minded” parties across Nagaland to overthrow the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government.

‘The Congress has floated to other like-minded parties — the vision of secular alliance — to ensure that machinations of the Hindutva forces, which are sweeping other states of India today, do not take the backdoor entry into Nagaland,’ said All India Congress Committee secretary in-charge of Nagaland and Sikkim, Ranajit Mukherjee, at a press conference in Kohima.

He added the party is open to exploring parties who fit the definition of secular alliance.

Mukherjee said if Congress has an alliance, seats will be divided with the alliance partner.

‘And if there is no alliance partner, we will take the call on the 60 (Assembly constituency) seats,’ he informed while expressing confidence that the electorates will vote for the party.

‘Congress being the sole standing opposition party in Nagaland today is ready to expose the UDA government’s non-interest and hollowness in implementation of a solution to the Naga political issue and lack of development for five years,’ he said.

‘The Congress stands for an immediate solution. However, if elections become inevitable, then Nagaland Congress is confident of a victory in the upcoming assembly elections,’ he added.

The secretary went on to say that the party is ‘hearing the pains’ of Nagaland, be it in industry sector, eastern Nagaland issue, or jobs. Unlike the BJP, Congress party does not promise what it cannot deliver, he said.

‘The party may have lost the electoral lead in previous elections. However, Congress exists in the hearts of the Congressman in every district,’ he said, adding that people are looking at the party as a “viable alternative”.

He further informed that there are women candidates in the pipeline for the upcoming election. The screening committee will select the candidates through an internal process and finalise with the Central Election Authority of the party for their nomination.

INC leaders to hold meeting in Dimapur

Meanwhile, senior observer for Nagaland Assembly elections, Mukul Wasnik, MP, along with Dr. Ajoy Kumar, AICC in-charge, will be arriving in Dimapur on January 10 with the AICC delegation responsible for guiding and supervising the execution of Nagaland Assembly Elections, the secretary informed.

The INC leadership will hold crucial meetings with Nagaland Congress office bearers in Dimapur and chart out an electoral roadmap.

In this regard, all the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) office bearers, from working president to secretary and NPCC members, heads of departments and cells, state body of frontal organisations, district presidents and important district office bearers have been called to attend the meeting in Dimapur, he informed.

Observers and screening committee members will continue to be in the state post Jan. 10 and meet office bearers, intending candidates and influencers from civil society, he added.