By Oken Jeet Sandham
KOHIMA, Apr 9 (NEPS): President of the ruling major Naga People’s Front (NPF) Dr Shurhozelie hinted that upcoming by-election in the 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency, where former Nagaland Chief Minister and ex-Goa and Maharashtra Governor Dr SC Jamir would be fighting as Congress candidate, would be a “tough one.” He, however, expressed confidence that their NPF candidate Toshipokba would emerge victorious if the people of the constituency “take a wise judgment.”
In an interview to NEPS here on Saturday, the NPF supremo had simply shrugged off Dr SC Jamir’s self eulogy of his past, saying that “self praise” had no meaning and according to their culture, “self praise is something not to be appreciated.”
While addressing at Ungma Village after his candidature was officially declared, Dr Jamir said he was not contesting for Chief Minister as he worked for five times as Chief Minister and also not contesting for Governor as he worked two terms as Governor. “I am contesting for you (the people),” he (Dr Jamir) said.
Dr Shurhozelie said they all knew how he (Dr Jamir) ruled Nagaland for more than 10 years as Chief Minister and as Governor of Goa and Maharashtra and also knew how he left Maharashtra “Raj Bhavan.”
Reacting to Dr Jamir’s statement that his re-entry to state politics as a mission and to redeem the plight of Nagas who plunged in a state of confusion, the NPF chief said he would not comment much on it because “I leave to the people to judge.” “As I said he (Dr Jamir) was in power for more than 10 years and it is not difficult to form an opinion to judge the differences between the situation of his regime and the present one,” he stated.
Therefore it was for the people of the 26 Aonglenden Assembly Constituency to make a wise judgment, he said asking, “Will it be good for health to eat overripe fruit?”
“I do not want to go into details,” he said. “God willing, we (NPF) will get it (26 Aonglenden Assembly Seat).”
NPF chief also said some politicians could say anything without hesitation and even without taking into account what they said and did something differently. But they never checked whether their actions would tally what they said.
Stating that they could also come out with many facts of the past, Dr Shurhozelie pointed out that by doing so they gained nothing. “As such for us, we are keeping quiet for far,” he said. “For him (Dr Jamir) also should not harp too much on the past.” If he has a mission, he should spell out what type of mission he was talking about, the NPF chief asked.
Dr Shurhozelie also reiterated that their central plank of the coming crucial by-election in 26 Aonglenden would be “Naga political solution.”
Stating that Naga political solution was always placed at top of their agenda, the NPF chief said, “We have been working sincerely and have not failed any groups and have been facilitating the ongoing peace process.”
Asked if he expected any poll related violence in the ensuing by-election, without mentioning the Congress name, he said they never knew with these people what would happen. “We will be urging the administration to take coordinated effort to make sure that free and fair election is conducted in 26
Aonglenden Assembly Constituency,” he disclosed.
When asked his reaction to some Congress leaders’ questioning the validity of DAN as no more MLAs from other parties were there, Dr Shurhozelie rubbished as “none of their business.” He said those DAN constituents might not have MLAs, yet they were still going on together and would continue to go together. “Whether we call DAN or not, it has got nothing to do with the Constitution of India,” he said. “It is our own arrangement.”
