Rio not to join National politics
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Dimapur, September 24 2013:
After almost two months of speculations whether Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio was planning to join national politics by quitting his post as the chief minister, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) in which the Naga Peoples' Front (NPF) was the prime constituent, had taken a 'unanimous decision' that it would not send Neiphiu Rio to New Delhi.
Senior Nagaland cabinet minister Azo had told the media in Kohima that Nagaland needs Neiphiu Rio and 'he is too precious to be sent to New Delhi because the state is more important than the Centre at this juncture.' The minister added, "We cannot spare him." On August 2, Neiphiu Rio had told The Telegraph correspondent Nishit Dholabhai in New Delhi, "We are still discussing it within the party but I would like to come to New Delhi," hinting to shift his base of politics from Nagaland to the national capital.
Fueling the speculations, Along Longkumer, the Consulting Editor of a Dimapur based daily, The Morung Express in his comment in the end of August had said, "To the surprise of many, a news report recently published in The Telegraph mentioned about the possibility of chief minister Neiphiu Rio contesting in the next Lok Sabha election and shifting base to Delhi to dabble in national politics".
After all these happenings, the chief minister's office nor his party had refuted the reports.
The reports in the newspapers and the follow-up speculations in Nagaland about Neiphiu Rio quitting his post as the chief minister of Nagaland to join the national politics had been partly substantiated by the politiking of the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) then in connection with the ensuing by-poll to the Noksen assembly constituency of Tuensang district, Nagaland held on September 4 .
CM Chang was the member of Lok Sabha but had resigned to constest in the February 23, 2013 assembly election of Nagaland.
He got elected from Noksen assembly constituency from the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) ticket and was assigned with the Education portfolio.
He had however, resigned as the MLA in the month of March and retained the Lok Sabha seat and continues as an MP and also as the Education minister of Nagaland till date.
However, early August, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), in which the NPF is the main constituent, had announced that CM Chang as the consensus candidate for Noksen by-poll.
CM Chang had contested and once more left the Lok Sabha seat.
To confirm the status of affairs, on September 9, Newmai News Network, had asked Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio's media advisor Abu Metha about the reports.
He did not refute the August 2 report of The Telegraph .
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