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NPF President Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu (second fron left) and the leader of the NPF legislature party TR Zeliang, during the public rally in Jalukie town in Peren district on May 21.[/caption]
Dimapur, May 21 (EMN): Naga People’s Front (NPF) supremo, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu reiterated that the NPF party was formed during the most turbulent time in the Naga society in the early sixties with its top priority for the solution to the Naga political issue and added that even today its priority remained the same.
Issuing a clarion call during a public rally for the Lok Sabha by-election at Jalukie today, Dr. Shurhozelie called upon the people to clearly understand between the stand of the NPF regarding Nagas and the other political parties.
A press release issued by the NPF press bureau has quoted its party chief reminding the people that NPF party is in no mood to criticise any leader or parties but working only for the welfare of the Naga people. He alleged that the present PDA chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, who is presently campaigning in various parts of the state for the Lok Sabha by-poll is only criticising the NPF legislature party leader TR Zeliang and the NPF party. Dr. Shurhozelie said that a true visionary leader should focus more on developmental programmes for the people.He also recalled that during the past four years of NPF government under the chief minister of TR Zeliang, Rio, who was the then Lok Sabha member, did not give a single day of rest to the government but created one problem after another trying to break up the government as well as the NPF party.
“But it was due to the God’s blessing that none of his plans could succeed,” he asserted. Dr. Shurhozelie also called upon the people to be watchful of the present PDA government which comprises of various political parties including the national party BJP “whose stand towards minorities and others is known by the whole country.”
The NPF president also termed the NPF’s official candidate for the coming by-poll, C Apok Jamir, as the most capable and rightful candidate for the Naga people and urged upon the people to vote in favour of his candidature.
Former chief minister and NPF legislature party leader, TR Zeliang, during the rally, clarified the accusation made by the chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who, during one of his public speeches, accused that NPF was divided into three groups. He has termed as nothing informative but cheap political propaganda to confuse the people.
“In fact Rio stated this to break away the NPF MLAs and increase the NDPP MLAs so that he will ditch away its coalition partner BJP as he can see the aggressiveness and domination of the BJP,” he said.
TR Zeliang also recalled how Rio, during his tenure as MP, tried every means to finish the NPF party while he himself was the NPF Lok Sabha member. He expressed gratitude to God that Rio could not dismantle the NPF party.
The former chief minister, who was also the then finance in-charge, lambasted the PDA government announcing that the PDA government was releasing the students’ scholarship, SSA teachers salary etc, by stating that those were all central schemes and that such releases were normal distribution of fund by any government.
“These cannot be termed as achievements,” he quipped.
On the PDA government’s release of VDB funds recently to the respective villages, Zeliang said that the entire fund released so far by the present government were brought by the NPF government in the last tenure.
“The PDA government announcement to the people that the government will repair all the district headquarter roads within 60 days and to do away the VIP culture is nothing but fooling the public and to gain public support,” Zeliang alleged.
Speaking on the ensuing by-poll, Zeliang expressed confidence that the Naga people will vote for the NPF candidate Apok Jamir stating that the latter has vast experiences as a leader, who had already worked as an MP and also served in the state in various important capacities.
Also speaking on the occasion, NPF spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon blamed Rio for the “abnormal situation facing the Naga people due to his greed for power and not for his love of the people.”
“Nagas would never have faced this by-election if Rio has true concern for the Naga people,” Kikon said.
By Rio’s return to state politics he had sacrificed 20 seats of the state constituencies to the national party BJP for his greed of power, Achumbemo alleged and said that the present round of campaigning tour being carried out by the chief minister “carries only blatant lies fooling the Naga public.”
During the rally, MLA Moatoshi, former MLA Hukavi, former BJP leader Zandi Domta also spoke on the occasion.
The programme was chaired by NPF treasurer and convenor campaign committee of Peren district, NR Zeliang.
