Nagaland: BJP out to finish off regional parties in state, claims Congress

The BJP is all out to wipe out every regional party in Nagaland, alleged AICC media coordinator Sujata Paul.

Addressing media persons at the Congress Bhavan here on January 27, Paul held chief minister Neiphiu Rio responsible for the state Nagaland is in today, calling him a “corrupt” and “weak” chief minister. Paul said the opposition-less government in Nagaland has failed to solve the problems of the state in the last five years.

She added the BJP has no respect for any regional party, accusing the party of trying to “get the NDPP into its shoes”.

She pointed out that the fight for seat share between the BJP and Rio’s Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is out in the open in the run-up to the assembly elections in the state slated for February 27.

Also Read: Nagaland: High number of ticket aspirants putting BJP in tight spot, trouble in managing seat-sharing formula

The BJP and NDPP had earlier struck a seat-sharing deal of 20:40 to contest the upcoming elections. Supporters of some aspiring BJP candidates are now demanding that party be allowed to contest in 30 seats.

Paul alleged it is because of Rio this demand has arisen while also accusing the BJP of pressurising the NDPP.

She asked as to why Rio who has been harping about the previous seat share of 20:40 not been able to clear the issue with the BJP behind closed doors.

Saying all is not well between Rio and BJP, she asked” “What is Rio scared of? Is he scared of the Enforcement Directorate questioning him?”

She said the BJP workers on January 22 created havoc for more than two hours protesting at deputy chief minister Y Patton's Dimapur residence and later threatened to go for mass resignation.

She added state president Temjem Imna Along and deputy CM Patton could not control the BJP workers and sought Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's intervention to sort out the issue. Later, the matter had to be taken to Delhi, she said.

“Now, we hear that a decision on the matter will be taken before January 29 by the BJP at the centre,” Paul said.

She said it is the state government that can solve the problems of the state not an outside chief minister.

Terming the “complete indiscipline” amongst the BJP workers as not spontaneous but deliberate, planned and staged, Paul said this is BJP's larger game plan to finish off the regional parties.

“This is being encouraged not just by the BJP but also by Rio because he is the one who has held Nagaland to ransom by his corruption, and now, the BJP is holding him to ransom to destroy even the remnants of democracy in an opposition-less Nagaland Assembly,” she said.

Paul said it is not just a fight between the BJP and Rio-led NDPP but a fight that the former is indulging in to benefit itself and ultimately destroy every regional party in Nagaland.

Asked what would be the Congress’s agenda for the polls, Paul said, “You will come to know soon.” She also said the party will announce its list of candidates very soon.