Naga People’s Front (NPF) Thursday said opposition party Congress’s star campaigners in the state including AICC president Sonia Gandhi, AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi and the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh would not have any impact on the result of the assembly election.
In a statement, NPF said the Congress was already “nervous and desperate” and this was why, the party was trying to bring up “excuses and allegations” to cover up its impending defeat in the ensuing assembly poll.
NPF also reacted to a news item “NPCC files complaint on poll malpractice” published on February 6 and stated that the party had “no knowledge or no role” in the alleged move of some village authorities to allow the head of the family to cast the entire votes on behalf of the family.
On the allegation that malpractices were also adopted on a large scale during the last election in 2008 and that authorities did nothing to stop such acts, NPF reminded that on the eve of the last assembly election, Congress leaders pressed the UPA government to impose President’s Rule in the state. During that period, the might of the Central government and the para-military forces were used in an effort to influence the outcome of the election, alleged NPF.
Holding the Congress responsible for such malpractices during the last assembly election, NPF said despite the efforts to hijack the people’s mandate, Congress could not win the last election. Stating this time too, people have already made up their mind to reject the Congress, NPF once again reminded that the Prime Minister of the country and central leaders have not visited Nagaland in 10 years and Nagaland had become “a forgotten part of the country.”
NPF said that since the elections were round the corner, all the Congress top leaders led by Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi have “suddenly remembered Nagaland again.” It was for the people to judge, which party and which leaders had real “concern and love” for the Nagas, said NPF.
Rio criticizes Cong for projecting images of natl leaders in manifesto
JOTSOMA, FEB 7 (NPN): State chief minister Neiphiu Rio has criticized the Congress for projecting the image of national leaders on the cover of its manifesto. He said that if the Congress was really concerned about the Naga people, the party should have published the photos of the state Congress leaders for the same. Rio was addressing an election campaign in Jotsoma village Thursday evening for Kiyanilie Peseyie, the NPF candidate of 8 Western Angami A/C.
The Congress also drew flak from Rio for giving just three lines on the party’s objectives with regard to the Naga political issue. The chief minister said that this has exposed the Congress’s concern for the Nagas whereas the NPF has made Naga political issue as their top agenda since 2003.
Rio questioned the intentions of the Congress in bringing President’s Rule in the state and said Nagas were matured enough to know their rights. Asserting that the regional party which was formed in 1964 was growing stronger, Rio argued that it was the only party that has vision for the Naga people since inception with programmes and policies for the people.
Rio also apprised the mammoth gathering not to be swept away by the “rumours and gossips” that DAN government was a Tenyimia government and cited the example of former Congressman, Chingwang Konyak who resigned from the party and asserted that people should know the reality that the Congress could not even file candidates for all the 60 seats in the ensuing polls.
Rio also claimed that NPF would win with absolute majority though they have a pre-poll alliance with BJP and JD(U). He also assured that Kiyanilie Peseyie would be given a plum portfolio if voted to power. NPF official candidate, Kiyanilie Peseyie in his address urged the gathering to bury differences and maintained that NPF would return to power for the third term. (Correspondent)
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