Assembly Elections 2023 to be on schedule: Patton

Nagaland deputy chief minister in-charge of home, Y.Patton has reiterated that since there are no signs of early Naga political solution, which has been long overdue , Assembly elections will be held as scheduled.
He said this while speaking at the platinum jubilee celebration function of Old Riphyim Students’ Union (ORSU) at Old Riphyim village on Thursday as chief guest.
Patton said that the Central government was serious about resolving the Naga political issue and was committed to the slogan “election for solution”.
However, he said the delay was due to the failure among negotiating parties to come to an agreement and for which election cannot be put off since it has to be held as scheduled.
Patton also said that the present UDA government under the leadership of chief minister Neiphiu Rio has provided stability. He said the UDA has performed well for the last five years and its term will end soon (by March 2023).
The deputy CM exuded confidence that he will continue to be part of the next government with support of the people and reiterated the appeal on public to shun violence during election.
Patton thanked the people of 37 Tyui Assembly constituency for having elected him for the third consecutive term and said that inspite of his efforts to serve them, there could be lapses and sought apology in this regard. He also urged them to remain united even in future.
Patton maintained that as deputy chief minister he represented not only 37 Tyui Assembly constituency, but also the Lotha community and Nagas. He acknowledged that many expectations of public could not be met but assured to look where lapses if any.
With Assembly elections likely in March 2023, Patton also advocated peaceful polls, doing away with clan-ism and urged student bodies and village councils to ensure peaceful environment for successful conduct of the election.
He urged the gathering to set an example for other villages by remaining united.
On the occasion, Patton, who hails from Old Riphyim village, congratulated ORSU for crossing the milestone of completing 75 years because the village remained united until now.
The union celebrated 75 years of its existence on the theme “Beyond the Horizon” at the village, becoming the second oldest student body to reaching the milestone in Wokha district.
The function witnessed felicitation of 15 NPSC achievers and PhD scholars in 2012-2022, besides honouring of the pioneers.
According to the jubilee magazine released on the occasion, Old Riphyim village presently has 49 serving gazetted officers and 22 retired gazetted officers, besides a good number of theologians and entrepreneurs.
Congratulating the NPSC achievers for bringing laurels to the village, the deputy chief minister announced sponsoring coaching classes for those who were committed to UPSC or NPSC exam.
Considering the fact that government jobs were limited, he also announced providing assistance to those willing to take up entrepreneurship with passion, though not in huge numbers. In this regard he encouraged youth to take up the opportunity and let the village flourish.
Regretting that there were very less farmers despite the fact that Wokha district was referred to as a “Land of Plenty”, he reminded everyone that government job alone was not the only sector for survival and advocated exploring entrepreneurship.
He cited the example of Mizoram where there were no workers or labourers from outside, and reminded the people of dignity of labour that ushered both peace and prosperity in the society.
Theme speaker Prof T Zarenthung Ezung from the Department of Economics, Nagaland University, said knowledge was power as it empowered people to think beyond their boundary. He noted that modern knowledge had enabled a blind person to see, a deaf to hear, a lame to walk and a dumb to speak, claiming that this was the vision of the pioneers who established ORSU in 1947.
He said the number of gazetted officers, academicians, priests, pastors and deputy chief minister produced by the village was a living testimony of the seeds sowed in 1947.
He urged the students to add more feathers to the already shining village by encouraging and support one another. He advocated looking beyond government jobs and by becoming employers instead of job seekers.
He also cautioned them not to remain content of what they had as contentment could bring downfall.
Ezung observed that the entire stretch of road from Old Riphyim to Wokha town was well constructed, which had increased the potential of taking organic vegetables and fruits from the village to the market.
The programme also witnessed songs by jubilee choir, dedicatory prayer for villagers by Catechist ORCC Khyothungo Tungoe, chronology of ORSU by former president Myanlumo Patton, greetings by Lotha Students’ Union president Ashanthung Humtsoe and Old Riphyim Gazetted Officers Forum president Thungdeno Patton.
Host of senior government officials, well-wishers from neighbouring villages and others attended the programme.
Earlier, Rev Z John Patton pronounced dedicatory prayer before unveiling the monolith.