Dimapur, Jan. 17: The four Congress candidates for DMC elections have withdrawn their candidatures for what the party claimed was ‘respect of the will of the people’.
This decision to withdraw candidature was announced on Tuesday by the party’s convener of selection committee for ULD elections Dimapur unit, KL Chishi to media persons at Congress Bhavan, Dimapur. The veteran Congressman, Chishi said that the Congress had a general meeting on January 12 last at Kohima, convened by the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), and passed a resolution to request the state government to defer the ULB elections.
He said the party had considered this decision in order to accommodate views expressed by various tribe hohos, Naga Hoho, Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) and civil societies.
“Congress’ priority is to hold on to people’s view and the party’s view is to protect and defend Article 371 (A)”, asserted Chishi. He said earlier the party had called on members willing to contest to file nominations. However sensing the mood of the people voicing out against election, the party had requested the intending candidates to withdraw nominations.
“The candidates collectively expressed their willingness to uphold party’s interest and the people in general. If election is held ignoring people’s voice there will be huge misunderstanding in the minds of the people”, maintained Chishi. Taking a jibe at the state government, he remarked that we need to have a popular government which is ‘by the people and for the people’, and the government should have a wider consultation with its people rather than ignoring and bypassing the people’s voice.
