Unanimous decision to field Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio as consensus candidate for LS polls
KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 20 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has been chosen as the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland’s candidate for the lone Lok Sabha seat from Nagaland State.
DAN comprises Naga People’s Front, Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (United). The Nationalist Congress Party is not a pre-poll partner of the NPF, but is extending outside support to the Government in the 60-member State Assembly while the Independent MLAs are also with NPF.
Briefing media persons after a closed door meeting of the DAN Coordination Committee meeting held at NPF central office here today, DANCC chairman Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu said that DAN partners have unanimously decided to accept Rio as the consensus candidate.
He said following the approval of the NPF Working Committee to clear the candidature of Rio yesterday, the DAN Coordination Committee today held the final sitting endorsing the recommendation of the NPFWC.
“The DAN partners - NPF, BJP and JD(U) - are of the same opinion that Rio will be the right candidate to go to Delhi and represent the Naga people,” said Dr. Shürhozelie, also president of NPF. Today’s meeting, furthermore, urged other political parties to extend support to the DAN candidate. The meeting did not discuss who could succeed Rio.
Dr. Shürhozelie said it has also been decided that the NPF will now approach the Opposition Congress and Independent MLAs to be in-sync with the decision of the DANCC. However, on the remarks of the State Congress president SI Jamir that if a consensus candidate is to be sent to Delhi, then there has to be a meeting of all political parties, Dr. Shürhozelie said, “I will approach and request them to accept the consensus because Nagaland has only one seat and whoever goes will represent the Naga people and it will have greater impact in Delhi.”
Asked whether sending Rio would hamper the party government in Nagaland State, he replied in negative stating that “even if Rio goes, another leader will take over and we will see that the transition is smooth.”
BJP Nagaland unit president M Chuba and State unit JD(U) president Mhonjan Lotha also talked on similar lines expressing that they had been contemplating fielding their own candidates but now, with the approval of the national leaders, they have decided to support Rio as the consensus candidate of DAN.
NCP is part of the UPA government at the centre but in the State, the party has been extending outside support to the NPF led DAN government. Former home minister and NCP MLA, Dr. TM Lotha, said they have convened a meeting on February 21 to discuss the issue. “We will extend support to Rio, but we will have to first discuss among ourselves,” he said.
Amidst speculations and lobbying for the chief minister’s post, the JD(U) insisted that the next CM should focus more on economic development of the State and welfare of the people. Spokesman for the party, Sushil Kumar, urged that whoever becomes the next CM should give top priority to exploring the potentials of the State and emphasize more on economic development.
With PTI inputs
