Reacting to the state BJP’s tirade minister of PHE Tokheho Yepthomi and Adviser to CM (Urban Development) S.I. Jamir asserted that Congress had joined the DAN government as part of an arrangement for “an all party government” under chief minister T.R. Zeliang.
In a joint statement, they said the “continuous barking of the BJP” against Congress joining the government was “devoid of any substance but an attempt to weaken the Naga political issue”.
On the BJP’s claim that it was a pre-poll alliance of the NPF since 2003, they reminded that “BJP was kicked out from DAN-II in 2009” after its two legislators joined NPF and DAN extended unconditional support to the Congress-led UPA. They said it was also “immaterial and illogical” on the part of BJP to question Congress on why it had not joined DAN-I or DAN-II.
On BJP questioning Congress why it joined the government, they said it should seek clarification from the chief minister T.R. Zeliang, NPF president and DAN chairman Dr. Shürhozelie and NPF secretary general K.G. Kenye.
Further, they clarified that Congress never gate-crashed into the government; rather they said, BJP “entered the government through the backdoor, after openly declaring their support to the dissident NPF group and having enjoyed full hospitality in Sovima camp since January, when political crisis started.”
Agreeing with the BJP, they said Congress participation in the government was at “the pleasure of the Hon’ble chief minister and Dr. Shürhozelie NPF president. Therefore, they asserted that it was none of the BJP’s business to “remind and question the actions of the chief minister for inducting Congress legislators”.
Hitting back at the BJP’s charge on principles and personal integrity, they said Congress never joined any party, unlike the BJP, which had flocked from one party to the other since 2003.
They also said that the state BJP president “cannot refute” his “open offer to Congress legislators for merger and to take over the reins of power as BJP-led government “. However, they said, the offer was “firmly rejected on matters or principle and belief”.
Slamming BJP for “counting its chicken before it hatches” on the issue of Naga political solution, they said the BJP-led NDA has been in power earlier from 1998-2004 and returned in 2014 with “rhetoric speeches” that generated high expectations.
They said it was too premature for the state BJP to celebrate, at the present juncture and blame the previous Congress governments where there are no “signs of breakthrough” on bringing political negotiations to a logical conclusion.
They said if Naga political issue was to be resolved with an agreement, then the government of the day (in Delhi) has the privilege to do so. However, they said if it was a settlement, then all major political parties have to be taken into confidence for an honourable solution.
In order not to be seen as a stumbling block, they said Congress had taken a “leap of faith to join an all party government to pressurise negotiating groups, for an early political settlement”.
They said BJP seemed to be cornered on the issue and unable to “wriggle out of this unique arrangement of an all-party government”. Therefore, they said that “mocking and questioning the Congress for joining the government” by BJP leaders would not have the desired effect, since public were weary of decades-old political problem that hindered growth and development of the state and yearning for a peaceful settlement.
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