Protect Christian faith: Dr. Shürho
NPF president, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu on Saturday called upon the Naga people to protect the Christian faith, culture and identity at any cost.
Criticizing NDPP-BJP alliance, Dr. Shürhozelie pointed out that under the BJP government many Christians had suffered.
Addressing the election rally for his son and 10th Northern Angami-1 NPF candidate, Khriehu Liezietsu, at Chedema village, Dr. Shürhozelie challenged the gathering to stand firm with the commitment for the sake of their faith, culture and identity.
Cautioning Nagas about BJP’s ideology, he said the party was trying to set its foot in the Christian state through its alliance partner. Dr. Liezietsu recalled the atrocities faced by Christians across the country and the concern expressed by the various church associations.
He reminded the gathering about NPF’s manifesto and its ideology to protect the Naga culture, identity and its faith.
Naga solution primary for NPF, says Imchen: NPF candidate from 28 Koridang A/C, Imkong L. Imchen said Naga political problem holds primary priority for his party and all other issues were secondary.
According to a press release from NPF press bureau, Imkong was speaking at the NPF election kick off function at Mokokchung Town. He sought the Naga people’s mandate in favour of NPF, so that they could bring an early and honourable solution to the protracted Naga political problem.
He reminded the gathering that it was his party that had started the slogan “solution before election” when the NPF led government passed a resolution on December 15, 2017 in favour of a solution before polls.
Nuklutoshi, NPF ticket candidate from Arkakong Constituency, also speaking on the occasion, assured the chief minister that all ten candidates of the party plus another Ao candidate from Dimapur district will unflinchingly support him.
Dr. Benjongliba Aier, NPF candidate for Janpetkong Constituency claimed that all the party’s candidates in Mokokchung district have comfortable advantages over their rivals.
Comparing Rio to the Biblical character Jonah, Dr. Aier said that “now, Jonah has left the NPF and our ship should have smooth sailing from now on.”
NPF candidate for Mongoya A/C, Dr. Ngangshi Ao also assured the chief minister that the candidates and leaders gathered would go to their respective constituencies and educate the people properly about the party’s stand.
TR Zeliang hits out at NDPP, Rio
DIMAPUR, FEB 17 (NPN): Taking a dig at the newly floated Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Nagaland chief minister, T.R. Zeliang said the new party was totally bereft of programmes and policies for the people of Nagaland and that “its one-point manifesto for the forthcoming general elections seems to be T.R. Zeliang.”
Zeliang said this while addressing the election kick off campaign for NPF Mokokchung division, NPF press bureau stated in a press note. “I am amused at the lack of vision the party has for the people and instead the leaders of the party seem to be fixated with me and my educational qualifications. But what has educational qualifications got to do with politics? I am not appearing for any NPSC examination,” Zeliang said.
Stating that he had contested the elections eight times and had won six times, during which Zeliang said he had submitted the real certificate which showed him as having appeared the BA examination.
“Rio had, in 2014, decided to go to the Parliament and he acquired a fake certificate of having passed BA Honours, that too, on a Sunday, perhaps with the intention of impressing the central leaders,” Zeliang said. He went on to remind the people that Rio’s “Sunday Certificate” did not have any impact with his political fortunes at the Centre.
He said that party did not want Rio to go to the Parliament and requested him to continue as the chief minister. But he knew that the BJP would be coming to power at the Centre and, expecting to get a Union ministerial berth, he defied our requests and went on to contest the Lok Sabha elections, Zeliang added.
He further went on to hit out a Rio saying, despite the Vajpayee government’s one-time grant of Rs 365 crore that had brought the state to zero deficit budget in 2004, Rio wanted to get out of the government after landing the state in a deficit of Rs 1234 crore by 2014.
After getting to know that the Prime Minister was in no mood to accommodate him in at the Centre, Zeliang said Rio started making trouble for the government in a bid to return to State politics. He tried to make one of his cronies the chief minister in order to remote-control the state government, Zeliang said.
On parting ways with Rio during the first week of December last year, Zeliang said they realised that Rio’s intention was to freeze the NPF symbol and take all the 36 MLAs to his party NDPP. This was when the MLAs reconciled with Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu to save the NPF party, Zeliang added.
However, Zeliang said they were astonished when Rio dissociated himself with the NDPP and returned to the NPF. “He tried very hard to sour relations between Dr. Shürhozelie and me, but Dr Shürhozelie must have realised that he could never trust Rio and somehow our relations were strengthened. We heaved a sigh of relief when Rio left NPF and went back to his NDPP which is yet to be recognized by the Election Commission of India,” he said.
On the allegation that his government was “visionless and corrupt”, Zeliang pointed out that his government made an in-depth study and brought out the “Vision 2030” document. As a matter of fact, he said they had used the services of former chief secretary, Alemtemshi Jamir who was now the working president of NDPP, and few other officers.
Vision 2030 envisages our plans and programmes to impart skills to the youth of Nagaland, improve the over-all living standard of people, to provide better governance to the people, eradicate corruption and mal practices etc., he added.
“Is it a corrupt practice to execute works and draw the bills? Is it not corruption when project costs are escalated several hundreds of times as was the case in construction of Sovima Cricket Stadium and several other projects during Rio’s time?” Zeliang asked.
The chief minister went on to point out the road projects and other projects he had brought to Mokokchung district which were approved by the Ministry and some were under tender.
Rio slams TR Zeliang, Dr. Shürho
Correspondents
KOHIMA/ZUNHEBOTO, FEB 17 (NPN): NDPP-BJP chief ministerial candidate, Neiphiu Rio, attacking NPF president, Dr. Shürhozelie and chief minister, T.R. Zeliang, asserted that the two were enjoying the fruit of his labours.
Addressing the election campaign rally for NDPP candidate Er. Vikho-o Yhoshu, 14th Southern Angami-I A/C on Saturday evening, Rio said he had contested for the Lok Sabha particularly for the Naga issue. However, he said, the frequent crises in the state and the trust of the Nagas made him return to state politics.
Rio also slammed NPF president, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu for alleging that NDPP was not an ECI registered party and stated that it was unbecoming of Liezietsu, at his age and stature, to be making such statements.
NDPP was launched on May 2017 and registered with ECI in October and the symbol was gained in December 2017, Rio stated.
Accusing T.R Zeliang for producing a false educational certificate, Rio said that Zeliang even claimed to have been named the first graduate in one of his (Zeliang’s) village’s souvenirs. Such deception was not good for the Naga people, he said.
Responding to the allegations of its alliance partner, BJP, having a ‘Hindutva’ agenda, Rio said Article 25 of the Indian constitution provides “secularism” and be it the prime minster, BJP or NDPP they will not compromise the faith of the Nagas.
Others who spoke include– NDPP candidate Vikho-o Yhoshu, NDPP vice president central office (Kohima i/c) Menuovilie Kesiezie and president NDPP Kohima region, Avi-o.
In another public rally held at Zunheboto public ground, Rio accused T.R. Zeliang of having “spun a web of lies.” A press release from NDPP Zunheboto region media cell, said Rio alleged that NPF government led by T.R. Zeliang, made many hasty decisions without consulting the “grassroot” people which, according to Rio, had led to bandhs, chaos and confusion all over the state. He also said this had led to state paralysis for nearly a month during the “ULB election fiasco” and upgradation of Noklak district which had not materialised yet.
On the Naga political talks, Rio said NDPP-BJP alliance standing on “election for solution ground” shall not fail Nagas’ expectation.
Speeches were delivered by NDPP candidate, K.T. Sukhalu, Tokheho Yeptho, ex minister; Abu Metha, NDPP secretary general.
NDPP releases manifesto: NDPP released its party manifesto simultaneously, in Zunheboto by NDPP-BJP chief ministerial candidate, Neiphiu Rio and in Kohima by NDPP president, Chingwang Konyak.
A press release from NDPP media and communication committee said that the manifesto was a solemn commitment for the state’s progressive development under a new government to ensure stability, decisive leadership and implementation of innovative ideas and creativity in a “redrawn economic roadmap.”
According to the release some of the highlights of the manifesto are, good governance and transparency, good roads and better connectivity, power reforms and better supply, anti VIP culture and austerity drives, meritocracy and fairness, smart villages and smart colonies, promote “Make in Nagaland”, thrust on sports, walking streets of youth culture, organic Nagaland, master plan for upliftment of eastern Nagaland, insurance cover for students studying outside, modernization of government departments, welfare of journalists and media etc.