Decision of Nagaland candidate for Lok Sabha to be taken by DAN
BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha national vice president, Johnny G. Rengma has exuded confidence that the party would obtain majority in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and form the government at the Centre.
BJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha national vice president, Johnny G. Rengma has exuded confidence that the party would obtain majority in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and form the government at the Centre.
He described the party’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, as an honest and secular leader whose acceptability as the future prime minister has invoked a mass movement not only among corporate houses but the middle and lower strata of the society as well. Rengma was addressing media persons at the Hotel Saramati here on Saturday.
Drawing attention to a report in one of the local dailies about Chief Secretary Alemtemshi Jamir’s candidature for Nagaland State’s lone Lok Sabha seat, Rengma termed the report as “speculative.” He said the DAN coalition was a unique conglomeration of both regional and national political parties and that the issue of setting up a candidate would be addressed by DAN partners. He, however, added that the final call would be made by the leader of DAN.
On the issue of Karbi-Rengma conflict, Rengma said that the situation created was due to the “Centre’s negligence of tribals.” He said that the BJP-led NDA would focus on these issues and deal accordingly to alleviate not only the economic condition of the tribals but generate employment opportunities. He appealed to all communities living in Karbi Anglong to re-invent the harmonious relationship which the forefathers of different communities maintained.
The BJP leader also revealed that the party has assigned him the task ‘Mission Myanmar,’ the objective of which is to “maintain economic relationship with Myanmar.” In this connection, he would be meeting the Naga MPs in Myanmar on January 27 and 28 and other tribal MPs on January 29 and 30. He regretted that the UPA government took a political stand on the Look East Policy the foundation for which was laid by then Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee. With proper attention, Rengma said, India could have developed a strong economic relationship and fostered closer political ties with neighbouring countries, especially Myanmar. Stating that there was no boundary dispute between Myanmar and Nagaland, he said that the Nagas do not have any territorial ambition with Myanmar.
Commenting on the huge presence of para military forces in Nagaland, Johnny Rengma said, “This much of para military forces is not necessary in the present context” since all the underground groups are in ceasefire with the Government of India. He said such presence suggested the redundancy of Assam Rifles in Nagaland.
The BJP leader also felt that the tenure of an interlocutor for the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) should not be indefinite but for a maximum of 6 months which could be extendable. According to Rengma, one of the reasons for the Naga peace talks dragging on indefinitely is due to the indefinite tenure of the interlocutors.
