Dimapur, May 23 (EMN): Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday assured the people that addressing their grievances was one of the People's Democratic Alliance's (PDA) top priorities. He appealed to the electorate to vote for the PDA's candidate to the Lok Sabha, Tokheho Yepthomi, calling it a good chance to work together this time and realize the aspiration to experience all-round progress.
In his address to rallies in Kiphire and Phek as part of the campaign, Rio said it was an advantage for the people to have the PDA in the state which was in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre. He added that there could not be a better opportunity to expedite the Naga peace process and all-round development of the state with the support of the centre.
“We have a long way to go. Since its the starting of the new government, I appeal to the people to vote for the PDA candidate and be a part of the government so that we can walk together and uplift the people,” Rio said. He assured that one of his top priorities will always be to address the grievances of the people.
Commenting on the Naga People Front’s ongoing tirade against the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP, Rio said it was purely vindictive politics because the BJP chose to ally with the NDPP. Rio reminded the gathering of the fact that the NPF was in alliance with the BJP for the past 15 years. He wondered 'how the opposition could embark on a campaign of deceit.'
“NPF is now accusing the BJP but the truth is they were in alliance for the last 15 years. The NPF could not provide good and stable governance to the people as there was a lack of decisive leadership for which the public also rose up openly against the government,” Rio said.
Recalling the NPF president’s (Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu) reference to the opposition leader as a “heraka boy” the previous year, Rio said that the NPF now had no option but to attack the NDPP and BJP to divert the public’s attention.
Further, Rio said that the NPF’s claim to be regional was not founded on truth because in the past the erstwhile Naga People's Council had teamed up with the Congress to depose the then Chief Minister KL Chishi. Since 2003, the NPF had also been in alliance with the BJP up to 2018 until the BJP chose to go to the polls in a seat-sharing alliance with the NDPP instead of the NPF, which was ruling at the time.
The chief minister highlighted the developmental programmes and policies of the NDA and PDA governments. He encouraged the people to reap the fruits of a good, stable government that focuses on all-round development.
