Wokha: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio from the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Friday, took a jibe at the Congress and Independent candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
While addressing a gathering in Wokha during the poll campaign of the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) consensus candidate Dr Chumben Murry, CM Rio said that all three candidates in the fray for the Lok Sabha polls have distinct characters and capabilities.
Taking a jibe at Independent candidate Hayithung Lotha, Rio remarked that Lotha’s bid for the sole Lok Sabha seat in the state appears to be driven solely by his determination rather than the support of the people.
Regarding Congress candidate Supongmeren Jamir, Rio remarked that the grand old party is aware of its slim chances of victory but cannot afford to ‘blank’ the party in the contest. As the president of the Congress party, he said that Jamir is making a sacrifice by contesting the polls.
He also highlighted how former Congress Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not visit Nagaland throughout his ten-year tenure, suggesting a lack of attention to the state. Instead of prioritising developmental initiatives, Rio criticised the then Congress government for imposing the President’s Rule in Nagaland in 2008.
He said that under the Congress regime, the state was neglected, and left trailing behind.
As for the PDA consensus candidate, he said that Murry, a former MLA, and a senior politician, was elected as the consensus candidate after thorough consultation. Rio observed that with the alliance partners, the NDPP candidate is positioned for a decisive victory. Nonetheless, Rio stressed the significance of winning the contest by a huge margin in the upcoming election.
Rio acknowledged the BJP leadership for trusting his leadership since 2013. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP government for giving attention and bringing in development to the state.
Likewise, the leader of the BJP legislature party and Nagaland deputy chief minister, Yanthungo Patton, took a jibe at the Congress and Independent candidates while lavishing praise on the alliance’s consensus candidate.
Patton mentioned that the independent candidate, Hayithung Lotha, had contested the 2023 state election against him and managed to secure just one vote. He asserted that, in his view, Murry is the sole candidate representing the Lotha Nagas.
Patton illustrated his point with an example of a previous candidate who repeatedly ran in elections merely to retain the title of “ex-candidate” and enjoy the benefits associated with participating in the electoral process.
As for the other opponent, he said that only “fools” would vote for the Congress Party. The party, he said, has been out of the state Legislative Assembly for many years.
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Patton drew a comparison between former PM Manmohan Singh and PM Narendra Modi, highlighting Modi’s extensive visits to the Northeast region, including the state, a remarkable 72 times.
In contrast, he said that Singh, who was a Rajya Sabha member from Assam, had never visited the state during his tenure. Patton expressed strong confidence in the BJP’s ability to regain power at the Centre, projecting over 400 seats in collaboration with its alliance and predicting a sweeping victory with an absolute majority in the polls.
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