Alleging misrule by the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in Nagaland and a stepmotherly attitude by the Centre, the new AICC in charge of Nagaland, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, has claimed that it is high time for a change in the state
Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, S Supongmeren Jamir, and other
Congress leaders during a press conference in Kohima on Wednesday. (EM Images)
KOHIMA — Alleging misrule by the Nationalist
Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance in
Nagaland and a stepmotherly attitude by the Centre, the new AICC in charge of
Nagaland, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, has claimed that it is high time for a change
in the state.
He was addressing a press conference, along with Nagaland
Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) President and MP (Lok Sabha) S Supongmeren Jamir
and other Congress leaders, including Christopher Tilak, C Apok Jamir, GK
Zhimomi, and Khriedi Theunuo, at Congress Bhavan in Kohima on Wednesday.
Ulaka, who is also a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from
Odisha, said that following his appointment as the AICC General Secretary in
charge of Nagaland, he came to meet the office bearers of the NPCC, adding that
the party’s reshuffle is in view of the upcoming elections.
Reiterating that during the last Lok Sabha elections, the
people of Nagaland gave a thumping majority to the Congress candidate and
managed to secure a victory against all odds, he acknowledged the love and
affection of the people of Nagaland.
He alleged misgovernance by the NDPP-BJP government. “I have
been appointed as the secretary in charge of Nagaland to ensure that we leave
no stone unturned so that in 2028 we can form a Congress-led government with a
full majority in Nagaland,” he said.
Ulaka said that he would conduct district tours and ensure
that all committees—from the Pradesh committee to the political affairs
committee, down to the Mandal committee, block committees, and booth
committees—are formed in a time-bound manner within the next three months.
He informed that the party would also start identifying
potential candidates for the next election while expressing confidence based on
the response received during the last Lok Sabha election.
“The good days of our former Chief Minister SC Jamir, the
good governance that we delivered—it has been 20-22 years since we have been
out of power, and I think the people of Nagaland deserve better governance,
corruption-free governance, and better solutions to the problems caused by the
central government. The way to 2029 is through 2028, and we are confident of a
regime change in the central government as well in 2029,” he said.
The Congress leader further stated that during his
introductory meetings, he aims to meet the people, understand their concerns,
build the party’s narrative, and assess what is happening on the ground,
including the actions of the local government.
“I saw the condition of the roads on my way from the airport
to Kohima—it’s like we are at zero progress in the last 10 years. Today, we
visited the War Cemetery and encountered a traffic jam in the middle of the
city. The education system, employment issues, price hikes, atrocities against
women, and corruption—these are major concerns," he maintained.
"I have been told that for everything, there is
corruption, with 20% of funds being siphoned off. They have looted the state
enough. It’s high time to say no to misgovernance, corruption, and the
high-handedness of Amit Shah and Narendra Modi, who have only been making false
promises but delivering nothing. This is not just a political issue; it is also
social and economic,” said the MP Ulaka.
Furthermore, the Congress leader asserted that the only
answer to these issues is a Congress government, and they are doing their
groundwork to ensure that when the time comes, they are ready to seize the
opportunity and provide good governance both in the state and the country.
Meanwhile, NPCC President and Lok Sabha MP Supongmeren Jamir
said that Ulaka, a two-time MP, is well-experienced and politically mature. “He
has come to Nagaland to assess the problems people face and find solutions,” he
said.
Jamir further stated that the NPCC is confident in working
for the common people and ensuring that justice is delivered.
