DIMAPUR: The defeat of the Naga People's Front (NPF) candidate Soso Lorho in Manipur Outer Parliamentary constituency is kicking up serious ramification today.
Outgoing Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio and Chief Minister in-waiting TR Zeliang have said that the Nagas themselves have defeated the NPF in Manipur Outer Lok Sabha seat.
"There were three Naga candidates in the Outer Manipur seat and we were defeated by ourselves," was what chief minister-designate TR Zeliang had to comment. Zeliang said that the Naga votes were divided.
Lamenting that Soso Lorho was defeated in Manipur Outer seat, Neiphiu Rio said Nagas have “lost the golden opportunity”. “I felt very bad. It is a bad luck for the Nagas,” Rio added. Neiphiu Rio also stated that had the NPF won even in Manipur it would have changed the equation for Nagas especially on the emotional integration and Naga political issue. “Congress has not defeated us, Nagas have defeated us,” the outgoing Nagaland chief minister said before leaving for Delhi yesterday.
Meanwhile, intense debates both in the social media and among the Naga civil society organisation level have become the daily affairs after the NPF candidate got defeated in Manipur Outer seat. Many have attributed the NPF defeat to the wrong choice of candidate.
It can be recalled here that Sword Vashum was also a popular choice vied for the NPF ticket. Speculations went viral through SMS and Blogs prior to the announcement of the NPF candidate that Sword Vashum was the NPF's choice.
It may be noted here that in the Outer Parliamentary constituency, sitting Congress MP Thangso Baite defeated his nearest rival Soso Lorho of the Naga People's Front (NPF) by a small margin of just 15,000 plus votes.
Thangso Baite secured the total votes of 2,96,000 plus while Soso Lorho got 2,81, 000 plus votes.
