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Dimapur, Nov. 25 (EMN): President of Naga People’s Front (NPF) and former chief minister of Nagaland, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, on Friday said that his party “will try to field candidates in all the 60 seats” if the election to the state legislative assembly is and work hard to form the government.
The NPF chief, who is currently on a tour of the state ahead of the assembly poll to be held next year, said this while addressing the party’s Zunheboto division during a consultative meeting-cum-oath taking ceremony in Zunheboto multipurpose hall, according to a press communiqué from the party.
The announcement was made in the backdrop of his party, which won 25 seats in 2018 election, being reduced to only four after 21 MLAs merged with the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in April this year, triggering doubt if it will contest in all the constituencies in the upcoming state election.
[Also read: NPF promises to remove Nagaland's dependency syndrome]
Liezietsu also told the gathering that time has come for the people to freely select their best leader without any fear or succumb to any power, with the tenure of the present government completing five years in a few months.
He stated the Nagas have remained silent for too long and it is high time to speak the truth about “what is happening of our rights”. He claimed that the present government has no accountability on the state’s fund, arguing that there would be visible development if funds are utilized judiciously.
The party chief also lamented that the government has no programme for human resource development.
Reiterating that the NPF represents the identity and the aspirations of the Naga people and had supported the Naga movement since its inception, he said it will continue to ‘protect the regional interest of our people in various ways, such as social, cultural, faith, language, etc.’
He went on to express concern over the alarming increase in the number of illegal immigrants in the state. However, he said “we should not fear anymore but high time we deal with the true reality else we will become stranger in our own land one day”.
Also speaking on occasion, NPF working president Thenucho said the 2023 state election, if held, will be crucial and important in deciding the future of the Naga people. He went on to urge the people to vote the party to power for all round development.
NPF Secretary General, Achumbemo reiterated that the party has always stood for an honourable, inclusive and acceptable solution to the Naga political issue and committed to early solution.
Citing the 2003 election, wherein the NPF came out of nowhere to win the election, he said the party will repeat the feat and form the next government.
NPF intending candidate, Zheito Chophy and Central Women Wing President, Yanhola also spoke at the event, while the party’s working president, Dr. Huskha Yepthomi, administered the oath taking to the newly inducted office bearers of the Zunheboto division and the ACs, informed the update.