NPCC open to ‘any secular alliance’

Dimapur, Feb. 10 (EMN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has stated that the Nagaland assembly elections of 2018 will be a watershed in the history of Nagaland that will ‘define the course of Nagaland politics in the years to come.’ The reason, according to a press release from the NPCC, was because, “This is not a mere clash of political parties fighting for power but a clash of ideology” in the elections. “On one side, the Indian National Congress through NPCC stands by the ideology and principles of secularism and liberal democracy, while we have the BJP on the other side representing the Hindutva forces ably supported by alliance partners like the NDPP. “Today we still have a choice to either accept or reject the Hindutva forces before we are left without any choice once they grab absolute power and start imposing their divisive agenda. In guarding this precious choice of the people, NPCC has always stood by its ideological commitment to the idea of secularism and liberal democracy all through the years and therefore will not allow the BJP and its alliance partner NDPP to compromise the rights of our people and our way of life, the statement read. The NPCC has invited ‘any secular minded parties and leaders in forming a broad consensus to provide secular and stable government and to stop the onslaught of Hindutva forces in Nagaland.’ According to the NPCC, the BJP’s relentless pursuit of holding assembly elections in Nagaland by disregarding the wishes and aspirations of the people will remain a big blot in the long history of the Nagas. “Their promise of finding settlement within 18 months of coming to power has now stretched into 45 months and now the Nagas will be fed with the another promise of final settlement after 2019 parliamentary elections. The downslide of BJP in the nation has begun,” it stated.