We can boycott polls, BJP also has to do so: Nagaland Congress

NEW DELHI: Nagaland Congress Chief Kewekhape Therie has said that if BJP and its ally NDPP do not file their nomination then his party will not file nominations as well.

The Congress wants implementation of a solution to the Naga issue under the President's rule, he added.

In a statement, Therie, a one-time compatriot of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, said, "In my view, the core committee (of MLAs and Ministers) has nothing to do with the negotiation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah entrusting the core committee to convince NSCN (IM) is something like asking a child to convince his father.

"It is understood that the ruling alliance's leadership lacks courage to mediate between the Indian Government and NSCN (IM). UDA (NDPP, BJP, NPF and NSCN (IM) are hand-in-glove and what NSCN (IM) speaks, the Chief Minister (Neiphiu Rio) also speaks in the same language and tone," the Nagaland Congress chief added.

Ironically, in 1998, Therie was a compatriot of Rio and follower of SC Jamir.

Therie himself filed nomination on a Congress ticket in 1998 when other parties, including the BJP, had boycotted and also became a Cabinet Minister under veteran SC Jamir.

"Time flies, politics also changes!" he said.

The Nagaland Congress chief acknowledged the power of time and transformation and thus says in his statement: "We all know, in 1998 NPC (now NPF....and NDPP is only a splinter of NPF but now a more dominant party) did not participate in the election on the same slogan and Congress returned almost unopposed. In 2018, the same slogan was raised again. Some senior Congress leaders trusting the "Solution not Election" slogan prevented All India Congress Committee (AICC) from preparing for elections."

He added, "Just before filing nominations, AICC directed us to file nominations in case other political parties filed nominations and we were wiped out."

Congress could field only 18 candidates and most were non-serious.

But nevertheless, now Therie makes a clearer statement and says: "NNPG's decision to prevent "election for solution" is welcome because we also want implementation of solution at the earliest. Congress will stand with them."

Now the more creamy part of Therie's statement issued on Saturday in Dimapur, says: "Can NNPGs really prevent election under any circumstance is the question with the future at stake. It will amount to failure of constitutional machineries before the world and will reflect on the BJP Government at the Centre. If we do not remove the roadblock to implementation of solution (meaning the Rio Government), people will continue to suffer more and even lose our identity and religion."

He also said: "If we look carefully at the problem, both sides have agreed that within the Framework Agreement, the details and execution plan are to be worked out shortly for implementation. This is now the seventh year after signing. The Framework Agreement is a gentlemen's agreement on behalf of the nation and it was signed before the people. No party can turn their back from the agreement." He also says, "If there is any misinterpretation or misunderstanding, it is not the fault of the people." (IANS)

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