16 candidates file papers, Phungzathang launches self in NPP avatar
Source: The Sangai Express

CCpur, February 13 2017: Former Congress leader Phungzathang Tonsing who left the party on Thursday has sought to re-launch himself today under the NPP banner even as he cited 'personal political decision' as the reason for leaving the party he has been associated with for over three decades, and sought another public mandate.

The veteran politician who has held Ministerial berths for over two decades but was dropped unceremoniously last year was diplomatic in his first public speech at his home Constituency since August last.

The three Bills passed in August 2016 by the State Assembly had drawn widespread protest in Churachandpur with his home constituency as the epicentre.

His house was torched along with that of other tribal legislators and faced public boycott but while others have managed to make inroads to their constituencies, Tonsing was particularly isolated as he could manage to publicly address his supporters only today and that too under the NPP umbrella.

16 candidates file papers, Phungzathang launches self in NPP avatar

While he cited personal 'political decisions' to be the reason behind his leaving the party, it was evident that his move was also intended at appeasing his supporters who still hold the movement against the 'anti-tribal' Bills close to their heart.

In fact eight of the nine tribal martyrs who are still awaiting their burial are entirely from his constituency.

He claimed that the Government at that time very well knew that the three Bills will be as good as dead as it was the only Bill passed without any debate in the history of the State but at the same time maintained that he along with other tribal MLAs submitted their resignation due to the overwhelming protest.

'It was a different matter that the Speaker accepted the resignation of four Naga MLAs and ignored the remaining.

I have material evidence to prove this,' he said.

He also indicated that the Chief Minister might have dropped him from the Cabinet as he has all along sided with his people all through the 'anti-Bills' protest and openly pleaded his supporters to forgive him for anything that he may have erred.

After all, he said, that he has now quit the Congress that has ignored the cries of his people for long and it is time that the people also close the past chapters and start anew to realise the vision he has for his people.

Later in the day, he filed his nomination papers with a fleet of supporters accompanying him.

NPP president Thangminlen Kipgen who also addressed the gathering said a tall leader like Phungzathang joining the party is a morale booster for the party.

He said it is the people of Churachandpur who have saved the tribal people from the devilish Bills and called on them to continue their bit by electing the NPP candidates.

MPCC president TN Haokip too formally kicked off his campaign today at Bijang where his election office was inaugurated.

Later he also filed his papers along with his supporters.

He is still the lone candidate to file his nomination paper for Saikot AC.

Meanwhile, T Manga Vaiphei, the only Cabinet Minister from the district also held a flag hoisting ceremony to mark the opening of his campaign at Kangvai Village.

His BJP opponent, TT Haokip also hosted a flag hoisting ceremony at his Chiengkonpang residence before filing his nomination with a crowd of his ardent supporters.

The BJP candidate for Singngat AC, Chinlunthang Zou as well as the NPP candidate Henlianthang Thanglet also filed their nomination papers today with both the candidates drawing massive crowds from the interior sub-divisions.

The spate of political activities witnessed today literally left the town draped in political pictograms and triggerred traffic chaos on many stretches across the town.

A total of 16 candidates, all the six sitting MLAs and ten other contenders, have filed their nomination papers in the district as of today.

The figure is expected to swell by tomorrow, the last date for filing the papers as 34 people have taken the nomination papers from the election office concerned.