Oppn should not undermine people’s mandate: NDPP
Following the Lok Sabha by-poll victory, NDPP has asked opposition NPF not to undermine the wisdom and mandate of the people which has been given to the PDA.
Reacting to NPF’s allegation that unprecedented proxy voting and booth capturing by the PDA rocketed the overall voting percentage despite low voter turnout, NDPP said that there was not a single case of poll-related violence/skirmishes except in Kubza village under 26 Aonglenden A/C wherein polling was disrupted by NPF supporters thereby leading to re-poll. “Since it is the NPF which destroyed the peaceful process of polling, it should not accuse others for its own hooliganism spawned by frustration of impending electoral defeat,” NDPP asserted.
In a press note, NDPP media & communication committee also hit out at the Congress, saying it does not have the moral authority to hurl wild allegations that the PDA government had used all government machinery/resources at its disposal to win this by-election, when the party (Congress) has been wiped off in Nagaland and does not have a single MLA in the Assembly.
Rather, NDPP advised Congress to behave in a matured manner by learning to respect the people and their conscious mandate instead of pointing fingers at others for its own debacles. NDPP has reminded the rival parties that the NDPP-BJP alliance within just two months of being elected to power gained more than the sitting representatives of the opposition in seven assembly constituencies namely 3 Dimapur III A/C, 13 Pughoboto A/C, 20 Meluri A/C, 21 Tuli A/C, 46 Mon Town A/C, 54 Tuensang Sadar II A/C and 60 Pungro Kiphire A/C.
It said such quantum rise in percentage towards the PDA was a reiteration of the people’s confidence reposed in the leadership of chief minister Neiphiu Rio and the NDPP led PDA government which is solely focused on delivering the goods to the people.
Meanwhile, NDPP expressed utmost appreciation and gratitude to the people of Nagaland and the electorate for reposing their faith in the NDPP led PDA government headed by chief minister Neiphiu Rio by electing the PDA consensus candidate Tokheho Yepthomi.
NDPP lauded Election Commission of India, State Election Department, Police, and Administration for successful conduct of the by-elections. The party also extended appreciation to all stakeholders including civil societies, hohos, churches and NGOs, for making positive contributions thereby ensuring successful conduct of the election.
NDPP also thanked all the constituents of the PDA–BJP, JD(U), NPP, IND – and its party functionaries and supporters at all levels for their relentless efforts in ensuring the grand victory of the PDA consensus candidate.
NPF party shocked by NDPP’s contradiction
Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Saturday slammed the NDPP for washing its hands by denying that it had not filed the FIR against NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu but had only lodged a complaint to the Election Commission of India for the purported inflammatory speech made by Dr. Liezietsu.
In a press note, NPF press bureau reminded NDPP that one Prasielie Pienyü, the election agent of NDPP candidate Tokheho Yepthomi had Filed the FIR on May 22 against Dr. Liezietsu under Section 153 A IPC and 125 Representation of People’s Act 1952 corresponding to GR Case No. 84/18.
In this regard, NPF asked NDPP whether there was communication gap between their leader who filed the FIR and its party functionaries who had randomly issued the press statement without knowing the pros and cons of the issue in question, or whether it was a cheap political gimmick to confuse the minds of the people.
NPF said that though its president was prepared to be arrested for a good cause he was rendering for the people by propagating the Article 25 of Constitution of India, that advocate secularism and freedom of religion, it was only on the intervention of the party leaders and loyalists that obtained an anticipatory bail before the police arrived at his home to arrest him.
It said that the NDPP/BJP had accused Dr. Liezietsu of making inflammatory speech at an election rally held at Kohima, and assumed that the speech would cause violent clashes, riots and street fights. In this regard, NDPP/BJP went ahead and lodged a complaint with the ECI and a subsequent FIR was filed at the Police Station, NPF added.
NPF rather pointed out that Dr. Liezietsu spoke on the issues of atrocities committed against Christians and the minorities across the country that rose from 177 incidents in 2015 to 351 in 2017 with the BJP ruling at the Centre and appealed to the people to rise up to the occasion and protect Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. However, his speech was dragged to the ECI court and the police station by NDPP, it said.
Therefore, NPF said NDPP should stop playing the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or stoop so low as to degrade itself further but concentrate more on real development issues and start working for the welfare of the people and the state.”