NPF to approach Congress & others to accept Rio
Correspondent
KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 20
NAGALAND Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has been chosen as the official consensus candidate of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) comprising of Naga People’s Front (NPF), BJP and JD(U) for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Briefing media-persons after a closed door meeting of the DAN Coordination Committee’s (DANCC) meeting at NPF Central Office here this afternoon, DANCC chairman Dr Shurhozolie Liezietsu said that DAN partners have unanimously decided to accept Rio as the consensus candidate.
He said following the approval of the NPF Working Committee to clear the candidature of Rio yesterday, the DAN Coordination Committee today held the final sitting endorsing the recommendation of the NPF Working Committee.
“The DAN partners – NPF, BJP and JD(U) are of the same opinion that Rio will be the right candidate to go to Delhi and represent the Naga people,” said Dr Shurhozelie, who is also the president of the regional party. He also said that it has also been decided that the NPF will now approach other political parties, including the opposition Congress and Independent MLAs to come in line with the decision of DANCC.
NCP is not a pre-poll partner of the NPF, but it is extending outside support to the government in the 60 member state assembly while the Independent MLAs are also with NPF.
However, on the remarks of the state Congress president SI Jamir that if a consensus candidate is to send Delhi then there has to be meeting of all the political parties, Dr Shurhozolie said “I will approach and request them to accept the consensus because Nagaland has only one seat and whoever goes will represent the Naga people and it will have greater impact in Delhi”.
Asked whether sending Rio would hamper the party government in the state, he replied in negative stating that “even if Rio goes another leader will take over and we will see that the transition is smooth.
On the query as to which alliance would they be support in the centre, he said the DAN alliance has been working together for 11 years but nothing can be said about the future in the Centre. However, he asserted that at home as NPF it would continue to maintain the identity.
BJP Nagaland Unit president Dr M Chuba and State Unit JD(U) president Mhonjan Lotha also talked on similar lines expressing even as they were contemplating to field own candidate but now with the approval of the national leaders they have decided to support Rio as the consensus candidate. Chuba said “we had our own aspirants but since the Leader of House decided to contest it would not be good to set up own candidate against him as it would bring up differences with the alliance partners”.
“We are convinced and so we have decided to extend our consent and support to Rio,” he added. Mhonjan said the decision of the state unit has approval of the central leaders and therefore “we hope sending him will be beneficial for the state”.
NPF secretary general KG Kenye, BJP spokesperson V. James Vizo and Advisor to Chief Minister Abu Metha were also present during the press briefing.
