Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 1
With electioneering for the Lok Sabha polls on full swing, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Luizinho Faleiro claimed that “winds of change” are blowing across the country.
Faleiro, also the AICC’s North East in-charge, was in Nagaland on April 1 campaigning for Congress candidate KL Chishi ahead of the party’s star campaigner Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the State as part of their campaign trail. Gandhi will address a public rally in Dimapur on April 3.
Addressing a press conference today in Dimapur, Faleiro held that the “new winds of change” will convert the situation in the North East, which, he added, has been destroyed by 5 years of BJP-led NDA misrule. At the press conference, he was flanked by Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee President K. Therie and poll contender KL Chishi.
“We are bringing together a new narrative; a narrative that is not pseudo nationalism, rather a narrative for employment to the young, development and progress,” he said.
According to him, the BJP led by Narendra Modi has taken the country 50 years behind in terms of employment, economy in meltdown, GDP plummeting, farmers committing suicide and minorities going through difficult days.
On the State Congress’ pact with the NPF, he said that the two parties put aside differences to jointly fight the BJP and RSS. “I understand the NPF is a regional party and Congress a national party. They have got their regional aspirations. We have got our regional and national aspirations. Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsü and TR Zeliang may have their regional aspirations but they also understood it is for survival of democracy, survival of secularism and inclusive growth.”
He added that if the Congress wins bye-election to 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency, the party will support the NPF in the State Assembly.
KL Chishi, asked to shed light on his poll agenda, said that resolving the Naga political problem and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) are his top priorities. He said the Naga people are getting impatient with promises of resolving the problem, unmet election after election.
“The Government of India cannot continue to keep the Naga people in the dark. The BJP had promised to solve the problem after the election five years ago. They are taking pride in claiming that they signed a Framework Agreement but the problem continues.”
On his one-year stay with the BJP, he justified it was out of compulsion (from electors) to contest under the banner of a ruling party at the Centre. He added, now that he has seen the BJP from the inside, he left and rejoined the Congress.
NPCC President K. Therie admitted the Congress in Nagaland is at its lowest ebb. Nevertheless, he said that the Congress with the help of like-minded parties like the NPF will fight to remove CAB, rid corruption, expedite resolving the Naga political problem and for social and economic equality.
“We cannot compromise our faith, we cannot submerge our identity, our customs,” he said, while adding that in terms of principles, NDPP and BJP are at their lowest ebb.
