NPF woos with 'identity' card
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Dimapur, February 19 2018:
With barely a week to go before Nagaland goes to the polls, president of the Naga People's Front (NPF), Dr Sh�rhozelie Liezietsu today called upon the Naga people to choose between "preserving our identity and money" .
"We should not let money power and false promises overpower our faith and our identity of being Nagas," the president said while addressing the NPF Zunheboto division election rally.
Addressing a gathering of party workers and well-wishers, he reminded the people that in 2018 election, money will attack the Naga voters on one side whereas, the other side, the NBCC is propagating a clean election.
He said that NDPP-BJP alliance had nothing to woo the Naga voters with but only with money and called upon the people to take the right decision.
"In Nagaland the Churches have seen the dangers posed by fringe elements to the Naga society and are taking remedial measures to counter these dangers," he said and called upon the public to abide by the directions and requests of the NBCC and NCRC.
Dr Sh�rhozelie stated that the 2018 general election may not be an election between the different political parties, but it could be "between our faith, our identity and forces from outside" .
However, the NPF president asserted that NPF alone would secure absolute majority in this election and added that the party will protect the Naga people and their ways of life.
Reminding the gathering, Dr Sh�rhozelie said that the regional party NPF which was formed in the year 1964 is "not only a political party but represents the identity of the Naga people, so why give our future to other political parties which will be a destructive to our identity and the society" .
The NPF president also said that the newly-floated NDPP, which is "yet to be recognized by the Election Commission of India, is like a newly-settled village or school that is not recognized by the Government, is married to BJP and trying to give birth to a BJP child in Naga soil" .
The NPF had refused seat sharing policy with the BJP and thus the NDPP came forward offering the BJP 20 seats in a house of 60 seats, which is merely an attempt to hold power at the cost of the Naga people, he added.
The NDPP partnering with the BJP is helping the latter set its root into our land to persecute the Naga people, he iterated.
"The NPF belongs to Nagas, the party belongs to every Naga," Dr Sh�rhozelie said and asked the Naga people whether "we should choose and be in our own Naga party or someone else's party." He also said that many National political parties entered Nagaland and they have their set up all over the country, but NPF jurisdiction is only confined to Naga areas.
Speaking on the Naga political issue, the NPF president asserted that NPF party accords top priority to resolution of the long pending Naga political problem, and added that NPF has always supported the Naga cause.
NPF candidates from Zunheboto division Picto, Khekaho, Hukiye, Hukavi and Zheito also spoke on the occasion and expressed their full hope that NPF will secure victory in the district.
NPF working president, Huskha Yepthomi also spoke on the occasion.
The programme was chaired by Zunheboto division president, Akavi Sumi, while the blessing was invoked by Associate Pastor ZTSBC, Khehoto Yepthomi and benediction prayer by senior Pastor, SBCZ, Rev Yevuto Sumi.