Neiphiu Rio, TR Zeliang blame Nagas for defeat of NPF candidate in Manipur
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Dimapur, May 18 2014 :
The defeat of Naga People's Front (NPF) candidate Soso Lorho in Manipur Outer Parliamentary constituency is kicking up serious ramification.
Outgoing Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Chief Minister in-waiting T.R.Zeliang have said that the Nagas themselves have defeated the NPF in Manipur Outer Lok Sabha seat and even went to the extent of blaming BJP candidate Prof Gangmumei Kamei and Independent candidate Mani Charenamei without naming them directly for the loss.
"There were three Naga candidates in the Outer Manipur seat and we were defeated by ourselves," was what Chief Minister-designate T.R.Zeliang has to comment on the poll debacle.
Zeliang said the Nagas' votes were divided.
Lamenting over Soso Lorho's defeat in Manipur Outer seat, Neiphiu Rio said that 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 among those vying for the NPF ticket.
Speculations went viral through SMSes and blogs prior to the announcement of the NPF candidate that Sword Vashum was the NPF's choice.
It can be noted here that in the Outer Manipur Parliamentary constituency, sitting Congress MP Thangso Baite defeated his nearest rival Soso Lorho of NPF by a small margin of just 15,000 plus votes.
Thangso Baite secured a total of 2,96,000 plus votes while Soso Lorho got 2,81, 000 plus.