Kohima, August 11 (MTNews): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie said today that with BJP wanting to have its own government in the state, the next general elections are likely to be held earlier than scheduled.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan Kohima, Therie said that the recent declaration of the ruling NDPP and BJP to continue their seat-sharing formula for the elections has come at the cost of the Naga people. He said that the State government led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio and the national BJP leaders have recently come to an understanding to hold the next elections clubbed with other States in the country by December this year instead of February next year.
Theriesaid that if it was not so, why did not Rio take the members of the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue to Delhi and press the Prime Minister and other Union leaders with the July 16 resolution of the Committee for an early solution of the Naga Political issue. He said that formation of BJP government in Nagaland is more important than resolution of the Naga issue. In this, he said Nagas of Nagaland have to decide on whether to have a “hindutva government or a secular government.”
“Congress is worried about the future, identity and faith of Nagas and therefore has decided to contest all the seats,” he said while maintaining that Congress alone cannot bring change but people will have to come forward and support the party. Therie asserted that Congress has formidable candidates, including women who will work for the Nagas and not go after money mongering. (With AIR inputs)