'Is Nagaland state inferior to Assam', asks ex-Naga CM K L Chishi
Source: Nirendra Dev *

New Delhi, January 27 2023: Former Nagaland Chief Minister K L Chishi on Wednesday expressed deep anguish at the manner political matters of Nagaland state are being 'decided' by the Chief Minister of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Lambasting Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who served as a Minister in the Chishi ministry in 1990, the former CM said, "On any issue concerning Nagaland, the present government headed by Mr Rio cannot take independent decisions without consulting Hmanta Biswa Sarma.

So the question before Nagas is, has the Nagaland statehood been reduced to a subsidiary to Assam and its Chief Minister" .

"Is the Nagaland state now inferior to Assam?," Chishi told 'Nagaland Page' in a telephonic interview.

Answering questions, Chishi lamented that - "The Nagaland Chief Minister has reduced himself to be a mere stooge to the BJP and the Assam Chief Minister" .

He also cautioned that the BJP-NDPP seat share review will be worse and it can "add fuel to the fire" .

He said, "I am nobody to talk about internal matters of BJP and NDPP.

But frankly the controversies and differences between these two parties are no longer internal...They have made it national and international" .

"So, as a keen political observer, I will say, the first mistake is the alliance arrangement has gone wrong.

But if they review it now, I am afraid they will only add fuel to the fire" .

He also said while the NDPP and the BJP have struck an alliance, "it is very strange that the leaders of two parties from Nagaland even sit together along with Himanta to allocate the tickets" .

"My view is that once an alliance agreement is struck, then the NDPP should take care of its own house; and the BJP should take care of its house.

But two parties sitting together to allocate tickets for aspiring candidates is unheard of," he said.

"It is all the more worse that the Naga leaders from these two parties are appealing to the Assam Chief Minister and going to him with folded hands.

This is something very strange" .

He said, "It is for the first time in the history of Naga politics that our Chief Minister has bowed before the sitting Assam CM on matters concerning Naga issues including elections and party affairs" .

"It is amazing that everything Rio does today is on the advice and guidance of Assam Chief Minister.

At the end of the day, Himanta is only a Chief Minister of another state," he said.

To another question, Chishi said, "On the other hand Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton is turning out to be a political novice.

Chishi, who has the mastery of throwing up one-liners, said, "Abraham Lincoln had said if you are to judge a leader, give him power.

That's Patton's story today, he comes to that category" .

Pughoboto row 'unfair' to legacy of Isak Chishi Swu :

On the Pughoboto seat row, Chishi said, "It is painful that my elder cousin Isak Chishi Swu's name has been dragged into a minor matter like the Pughoboto ticket.

Those responsible for dragging Isak Swu's name in this must tender an apology to the late leader" .

Nagaland watchers will agree that left to him Late Isak Swu would say, it is by the "guidance of Holy Spirit that have seen me through this far", courtesy his Facebook posting in 2016 when he expired.

So much was his love for Gospel teachings, that it may be proper to recall him as a rebel - who believed in the magical power of 'Nagaland for Christ' .

Even the Late Rajesh Pilot, as Internal Security Minister in the P V Narasimha Rao government, had said that working out any peace initiative would have been much easier with Isak Swu than Muivah.

Pilot had met the two Naga rebel leaders in Paris in the 1990s and so did former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao.

* The sender of this news can be contacted at nirendev1(AT)gmail(DOT)com .

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