Dimapur, Jan. 20: Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has urged the State government to postpone the ensuing Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections for wide consultation and to develop consensus in view of the differences on Nagaland Municipal Act raised by tribal organisations and village councils.
NPCC president K Therie said the Congress party had welcomed the ULB elections when it was announced by the State government with 33% women reservation as it presumed that the ruling 60 members were in command by resolving the past issues raised by the Ao community and the NMA. NPCC said it was perturbed to note more issues popped up just before filing of nominations with stiff opposition from various tribal organisations and village councils which went out of control thereby prompting the government to extend the last date for filing nominations.
Observing the situation, it said many Congress workers fully co-operated with the civil societies and did not search candidates. It said on January 7 few Congress nominees filed nominations assuring the tribal hohos to follow suit if the DAN nominees withdraw their nomination.
Elucidating that its intention was to give clean and corruption-free councils, it rued that many of their nominees were forced to withdraw whereas NPF and BJP nominees could not be prevented while some councils and nominees will be elected unopposed.
Meanwhile, NPCC said the ensuing ULB elections is important to provide clean and decent councils and send a strong message of denouncement of demonetisation to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi by telling him that we live in democracy and do not agree to diktats.
In this regard, Therie appealed to all urban voters to send the message of disapproval to the Prime Minister by voting for the few brave-heart Congress nominees and Independent candidates left in the ULB election. He said voting for DAN nominees would mean approving demonetisation, which according to him will be a terrible mistake.
