Correspondent
KOHIMA, SEPTEMBER 23
THE Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Legislators Party today asserted that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will not contest the 2014 general elections.
This was disclosed by Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Roads & Bridges Kuzholuzo Azo Nienu and Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Imkong L Imchen at a hurriedly called press conference at Naga People’s Front (NPF) Central Office here this afternoon.The DAN-legislators along with leaders of the alliance partners would be meeting Rio on September 25 morning after he returns home from his foreign trip.
It may be mentioned here that Rio, during an interview with a Delhi based news reporter last month, had expressed his willingness to join the mainstream politics in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.
Azo said of late there have been rumours about the three-time Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio willing to leave the state politics to join the national politics during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections next year.
In this connection, he said, the NPF-led DAN legislators along with the top leaders of DAN partners – NPF, BJP and JD(U) today had a closed door meeting and unanimously decided “not to allow Neiphiu Rio to contest the parliamentary elections”.
“At this juncture, the State is more important than Delhi and also the State needs him more. So we have decided not to send him to Delhi,” he said.
Supplementing him, Minister Imchen said, “DAN legislators are not willing to send him. So he (Rio) will have to continue as the CM of Nagaland.”
He also admitted that the NPF-led DAN in the State is apprehensive about leadership crisis once Rio leaves the State politics.
“We cannot spare him and we are firmly decided to approach him not to leave the state politics once he returns,” he said.
“Rio may have his own reasons but DAN legislators do not want him to go to Delhi,” he said.
NPF president Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu while stating that the party leaders had joined the meeting on invitation from the Minister I/c said the issue of Rio joining national politics has not come upto the NPF party. Nonetheless, he said the party supports the DAN legislator’s decision.
He also said it is the elected representatives of the people (DAN legislators), who elected Rio to be CM of the State and now since they have decided not to send him to Delhi, that should be accepted.
BJP Nagaland president Dr M Chuba and JD(U) Nagaland president Mhonjan Lotha also spoke in support of the DAN-legislators decision.
Nonetheless, the legislators and leaders of the alliance partners did not reveal who would be the next candidate. They said it is premature to reveal/decide the candidate for the Lok Sabha polls, but we will take a consensus decision when the appropriate time comes.
The DAN Legislators coordination meeting convened by Azo was also attended by Independent and NCP MLA, who are also extending outside support to NPF-led DAN government in the state.
