LAMKA, April 1: An optimistic State Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh had, on Monday, expressed confidence that his party candidates will retain both seats of the 16th Lok Sabha election available in the State.
A huge contingent of the Congress party led by state chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh, and deputy chief minister Gaikhangam who is also the president of the MPCC were in Churachandpur to campaign for the party candidate for the Scheduled Tribe reserved Outer Lok Sabha seat, Thangsho Baite.
The team also included Phungzathang Tonsing MLAs from the district.
The public campaign was held at YPA Hall, Hiangtam lamka, CCpur on march 31, 2014.
He added that his party will get maximum votes from the seven assembly constituencies of Thoubal and six in Churachandpur district and the two districts will be the deciding factor for the Outer seat.
As if answering to the perception that Thangso Baite was not a productive MP, Ibobi said that approximately 80 percent of the state’s total geographical land area comes under Thangsho Baite’s constituency and it was not easy to please all at once.
Both Dr T Meinya sitting MP of the Innter constituency and Thangsho Baite sitting MP of the Outer Constituency had been very helpful in Delhi while raising issues related to the state, he observed.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also said that anyone from anywhere in the country are welcomed to come and campaign for any party.
Referring to the visit of Nagaland chief minister Nephiu Rio in the state, he said his Nagaland counterpart should be aware of the protocol provided to him as his security concern is the responsibility of the state government.
Churachandpur has always been kind to the Congress, he said citing that 99 percent of elected ADC is from the party and that cent percent representation of the district at the State Assembly is from the party.
The Congress had introduced all the schemes for the benefit of the people like the MGNREGS, Khuga Multi-Purpose Dam construction, revival of the ADC after 20 years, said T Phungzathang addressing the crowd of supporters after District Congress Committee, Churachandpur president L Hmar gave his welcome address.
“Irrespective of who the candidate is the people should support the Congress and it’s better to be with the winning side, Congress,” Phungzathang said.
Thangsho Baite in his speech said it is a great pleasure to recall that the party had won 42 seats out of a total of 60 during the last state Assembly and is the majority in six Autonomous District Councils.
“With the support of the people of Churachandpur, I will win,” he exuded confidence of his winning the seat.
The Congress has never discriminated against anyone in the State which is co-inhabited by the Meiteis, Nagas, Zomis, Kukis, Mizos etc, said MPCC president Gaikhangam.
Gaikhangam also said that the Congress will return to power at the Centre.
Meanwhile, the candidate while addressing media persons at his residence said that some media are bias as they had failed to acknowledge any of his work while, lambasting him as a non-performer.
Citing the election model code of conduct, he had dodged many inquiries and questions from the media.
Lester Makang adds from Ukhrul: In his Ukhrul leg of the second poll campaign in Manipur for the NPF party, Nagaland chief minister Neiphui Rio has called upon the Nagas to promote `emotional integrity` as it precedes `political integrity` towards an honourable resolution to the decades-old Nagas political issue.
Addressing the mammonth gathering at the Tangkhul Naga Long ground here on Monday, Rio said that integration of all Nagas family must happen, while adding “the first and foremost step towards this is to promote emotional integrity amongst ourselves as this will pave the way for bringing all the Nagas under one political set up.”
Stating that Naga issue is sensitive and vexed, he reminded that each and every Naga person has his/her role to play, while appealing to everyone that Nagas should love, respect and obey one another so that we can collectively achieve what we aspire to.
Rio said that Nagas are a unique people having unique history of their own, “but our adversaries are constantly at work to divide us into different sections,” he cautioned. “Naga nationalists fought wars for six decades sacrificing thousands of lives. Government of India has engaged them in political dialogue for over 16 years but it has not settled the vexed Naga issue till date.”
“It is at this juncture that we urge you to please vote for NPF candidate Soso Lorho that we might raise the Naga issue at the Indian Parliament for its early and honourable solution,” he further pleaded the gathering crowd.
At the same time, enunciating the need to address the malaise besetting the north eastern people, Rio asserted that even then NPF is not only for the Nagas but for all the tribals and minority communities. ” NPF is for the people of the whole region, he said and added it is tying up with other regional political parties to bring new thinking and changes in the region, while refering to the formation of North East Regional Political Front (NERPF).
Meanwhile, taking a jibe at the Ibobi-led Congress government in Manipur, Nagaland minister TR Zeliang said that Ibobi has not done anything for the tribals of the state during his 12 years of governance. He alleged that Ibobi diverted various development programes to the valley because he does not want to develop tribal areas, while citing shifting of railway line to Jiribam-Tubul among others.
NPF candidate Soso Lorho also thanked the party for providing him party tickets and vowed to work for the cause of the people.