Nagaland: Congress pitches for alliance sans BJP

September 13, 2022 43 Views No Comment

Even opens door to NDPP but with a condition

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 13

Reminiscent of Bihar’s Grand Alliance, the Congress in election-bound Nagaland is pitching for an alliance minus the BJP. The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) President, K Therie, made an announcement on September 12, informing that it is open to a “secular alliance with likeminded political parties” to go up against the BJP.

In Therie’s latest electoral scheme, even the NDPP is welcome to join. “I don’t want to name any political party at this juncture… Any party, including the NDPP, may join us if they are secular minded,” he told a press conference in Dimapur, today.

Interestingly, no mention of the NPF was made, with which the Congress allied in the 2018 elections.

He further informed that the Congress has begun a “decentralisation” process whereby it intends to give the party’s grassroots units a greater say in selecting poll contenders. He said, “We are authorizing the ACCCs and the district level committees to select their candidates in their respective constituencies.”

Queried whether there have been takers for the Congress ticket, he claimed that more than 40 contenders have so far displayed interest to contest under the Congress banner. He though maintained that the party has yet to negotiate with anybody for the proposed anti-BJP alliance. He added that the Nagas no longer want to live under the present circumstance and “There is no reason why UDA should be returned.”

According to him, this time, electioneering in Nagaland began 6 months ahead of schedule, starting with the announcement of the seat-sharing deal between the BJP and NDPP. The rather early move from the Neiphiu Rio-led government has been to distract the people from “the demand for implementation of the political solution that is in the cold storage,” he said.

He alleged that the Nagaland Legislative Assembly’s Core Committee on the Naga Political Issue holding back the July 16, 2022 resolution has been to suppress and delay solution in favour of election.

He further accused the state Chief Minister of keeping mum on the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation’s demand for a Frontier Nagaland state. “Why CM is silent on the demand for Frontier Nagaland for the last 11 years? Nagaland state has been bought with blood, with sweat. We have all strived together.” According to him, it has been “painful” witnessing the move to divide Nagaland.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/nagaland-congress-pitches-for-alliance-sans-bjp