Our Correspondent
Ungma, Feb. 19 (EMN): Former chief minister of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio on Mon. has said that after he left for Delhi (on being elected as member of the Lok Sabha) there was a struggle for power among Naga People Front (NPF) leaders without any care for the party or the people of the state.
Rio, who was addressing a public rally at Ungma in Mokokchung district, asserted that the leaders were interested only in being chief minister or to bag ministerial berths rather than maintain the integrity of the party.
“The tenure witnessed change of guard of four chief ministers; they lied to one another and betrayed each other; to sit on the CM chair they indulged in many corruptions and lastly without realising their mistakes they blamed me for creating upheaval in the party and I was suspended,” Rio said.
The NPF, he said, could not run a smooth and stable government because they had lost their leadership creditability and the frequent disputes among them had fragmented the party.
Maintaining that the NPF leaders were 'visionless, directionless' and had 'no love for the people,' Rio said that funds meant for villages did not reach the villagers; teachers and students agitated to demand their salary and scholarships; and road conditions became terrible.
According to him, the NPF’s 'wrong' decision to conduct the municipal elections created turmoil across the state, resulting in the loss of two precious lives and destruction of public property. In this connection, he said that the loss of confidence in the NPF led to the floating a new party and formation of an alliance with the BJP.
Further, Rio reacted sharply to Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu’s statement that the NDPP was not a recognized party but 'only registered.'
“Yes, our party was launched on May 17, 2017, got registration on Oct. 13 and finally got its symbol on Dec. 16 and Delhi has answered to form an alliance,” Rio said. He explained that the NDPP forged a pre-poll alliance with the BJP to bring development to the state just as the previous state government had forged an alliance with the United Progressive Alliance government at the centre. He added that Naga identity and their ethos are well-protected by the Constitution of India.
Saying that everyone wants their legislators to stay in power, Rio appealed to the electorate of Mokokchung district to vote for the NDPP's candidates. “Delhi has given its confidence to us and if it is God’s will, we will form the new government.”
NDPP candidate for the 26th Aonglenden assembly constituency Imtikumzuk; the NDPP's working president Alemtemshi Jamir; and President Chingwang Konyak also spoke at the event.
