NPF campaigns on peace, political balance slogan
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 11 2022:
The Naga People's Front (NPF) has been campaigning for voters' support on the slogans of peace and prosperity, social harmony, socio-economic and political balance and good governance, according to NPF Manipur State unit president Awangbow Newmai.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Awangbow New-mai said that their election campaign has been going on quite successfully and people have been responding positively.
He exuded confidence that all the 10 candidates fielded by NPF would emerge victorious.
Earlier, NPF was planning to field 15/16 candi- dates but after thorough deliberations, the number of candidates was cut down to 10, considering their potential to win the election.
The number of candidates was cut down to 10 so as to avert poll related violence and avoid confusion among the people, Awangbow said.
All the 10 candidates have filed their nomination papers.
As the Assembly segments where the NPF candi- dates are fighting the election would go to polls in the second phase, scrutiny is scheduled on February 14 .
An official campaign kick off programme would be held at Senapati on February 16 after completion of scrutiny.
The party's election manifesto would also be released on the day, he said.
Awangbow said that Manipur is quite different from other States in terms of community composition, geographical, topographical and economic conditions.
The model of development followed in other States cannot be applied in Manipur.
There would be peace in Manipur when political parties work with a conviction to bring all communities, big and small, to a uniform level of development after understanding the sentiments and aspirations of each and every community, Awangbow said.
As peace remained elusive in Manipur for a long period, both the Government's and people's atten- tion were occupied elsewhere.
As such, people's suffering could not be addressed satisfactorily, he said.
He said that there can be peace only when people's aspirations are fulfilled.
There are many small communities which do not have even 10 Government employees and could not compete with other communities.
If such communities are pitched into competitions with other communities, they would not get any opportunity for development, he said.
NPF is keen to pay special attention to such communities.
When political parties work by considering sentiments of each and every community, there would be mutual respect, peace and prosperity, Awangbow asserted.
Regarding allegations that NPF has been employing elements which disturb public tranquillity, Awangbow claimed that it is NPF's strategy to go to the people by placing the party's agenda in front.
The party has been campaigning to win people's love and mandate.
The allegation that other elements are involved is a false election propaganda, he said.
NPF is not a very ambitious political party but it operates in only certain specified areas.
However, NPF represents the sentiments of many small groups and as such, it carries a huge responsibility, Awangbow said.
He went on to claim that NPF would be a partner of the new Government even though NPF has not entered into any pre-poll alliance.
There is no restriction on forming alliance with other parties.
NPF can go together with any party if the political parties are like minded or have common agenda, Awangbow said.
One behalf of NPF, he also hailed the Election Commission of India for re-scheduling the polling dates on February 28 and March 5 .