Rio's latest bombshell
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: May 20, 2014 -
Neiphiu Rio launched Naga Peoples' Front (NPF) in Manipur on 28 May 2011 :: Pix - Romeshwore Putam / Chand
Living up to his nickname as 'Troublemaker', Neiphiu Rio, the outgoing Nagaland Chief Minister and newly elect Member of Parliament from the lone Lok Sabha seat of his State, has dropped yet another bombshell in Manipur.
Surprisingly, this time, it is not on his counterpart Chief Minister of Manipur O Ibobi Singh, whom he never got tire of dubbing as 'Enemy No. 1' of the Nagas in Manipur and elsewhere nor against the Congress party, whom he denounces as 'communal party' that shields 'certain communities' and has sworn never to look back even my mistake in the reckoning after resigning from the Congress Ministry led by SC Jamir in 2002, accusing the latter of blocking a negotiated settlement of the vexed Naga issue; but against the same group of people, whom he professes to be nothing lesser than their god-send or anointed saviour.
In his first public reaction to the defeat of own party man Soso Lorho, who contested in the just concluded 16th Lok Sabha elections from the reserved Outer Manipur Parliamentary Constituency, Rio has put the blame squarely on the shoulder of Nagas themselves for the defeat of Soso.
In this regard, Rio is quoted to have declared, "Congress has not defeated us, Nagas have defeated us", and that the Nagas have 'lost the golden opportunity' for changing the political equation on the issue of emotional and territorial integration.
Hailed by his supporters and admirers alike as a full-blooded Naga leader, what this Angami man from Tuophema village in Kohima district of Nagaland, has said in his reaction to the defeat of his party candidate in Manipur may be just regarded as reprimand of his own Naga brethren voters for not having enough faith on his party man, whose victory in the Lok Sabha election this time, could have changed the political equation for the Nagas on the emotional integration and Naga political issue.
After all, it was for their cause only that he had done extensive election campaigning for Soso in the hill districts of Manipur even to the extent of locking horns with the Chief Minister of the State and other Congress leaders every time he opened his mouth and said something.
However, the problem here is that while reprimanding his Naga brethrens, Rio has put the blame for the defeat of his party man on other Naga candidates in the fray as well.
To say that there were three Naga candidates in the elections for the reserved Outer Manipur Parliamentary seat and they were responsible for dividing the votes of the Nagas, thus, resulting in the defeat of his party man; shows ignorance of the position of his own nascent party in Manipur, if not complete lack of democratic principle which he always claims to respect and expects others to do the same.
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