Common platform for free, fair, & clean elections

February 11, 2023 50 Views No Comment

Know your representatives better, make an informed choice

Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 11

The concept of a ‘Common platform’ for electoral candidates to share their goals with the electorate was spoken about as early as 2016, if not earlier. Only that the idea did not find many takers in the elections that followed in 2018.

In the 2023 elections, it has taken some concrete form, albeit in one village. On February 10, a common platform was provided to the 3 candidates of 5 Ghaspani II— Zhaleo Rio (NDPP), Z Kasheto Yepthomi (RPI-A) and Kitoho S Rotokha (LJP-Ram Vilas). It was organised by churches of New Socünoma, a village about 8 and a half kilometres from Medziphema town.

According to the organizers, the platform was for the candidates to share their development vision with focus on basics needs like roads, water and employment. “Today the Churches in New Socünoma village have collectively taken this initiative for a common platform so as to promote a free, fair, and clean election and that the voters may get to know their representatives better and thus make an informed choice,” said Dr Meno Vüprü, a church member, who led the programme.

He admitted to the general scepticism surrounding the Clean Election campaign, yet maintained that the event was “a small step to light a candle in the gloomy process of election that we the people have made of it.”

“Elections will come and go, but we the voters will continue to live as villagers and fellowmen. We may have differences of opinion and choice of candidates, but let us not create hatred amongst ourselves due to elections. There is life beyond election and we must choose to make it bright,” he said.

While the candidates shared some broad outlines of their development visions for the constituency, the speeches seemed to revolve around the road that leads to the village from Medziphema, after breaking off from NH 29. The road, according to some villagers, turns into a dustbowl during the dry season and a mud track when it rains. It goes on to link up with Jalukie and Peren.

Zhaleo Rio was asked to take the stage first. As citizens, he said that the public as well as the candidates are responsible for free and fair elections. While seeking the “conscience vote” of the electorate, he said that he was seeking a third term from the constituency banking on the good governance provided by the ruling NDPP-BJP government. He said that he has been accused of not doing anything in two consecutive terms, but claimed that his deeds are visible on the ground. He said that it was during his first term as MLA that he took the initiative to build the Chümoukedima-Poilwa road. However, owing to poor drainage the road did not last as expected, he added. While stating that the state does not get enough road maintenance funds, he recommended that the people and the government should start accepting the prospect of revenue generation through tax as done in other states.

Kitoho S Rotokha said that as a grassroots activist, he has toured the constituency and could feel the pulse of the people. While stating, “My party is for development with justice,” he said that he wishes for his work to reverberate across Nagaland and replicated, if elected. According to him, giving false commitment was not his objective; rather his vision was to enable the unemployed get jobs in places other than in the state government set up. If he wins, he said that it would be him, who would sanction the work order to metal the road to the village.

Z Kasheto Yepthomi said that he was on the ‘Common platform” to address the frustration of the people, particularly the youth. “I am standing on transparency and equal opportunity for all,” he said, while adding that the RPI (A) is a party that is bereft of divisive politics. “My party is concerned with roads and youth employment,” he said.

Responding to a fleeting remark about trucks of his construction firm as responsible for the deterioration of the road, he said that the answer should be to make roads thicker as per quality standard.

In mainland India, he said that the children from marginalized families are able to crack the UPSC because of the educational foundation their state governments provide. But in Nagaland, and in Ghaspani II in particular, he said that the state government has not been able to provide quality elementary education. He said, “When we have good educational infrastructure, quality healthcare in our place, the people will benefit. There can be no happiness without good and transparent governance.”