('Nagaland Page' interview)
Who knows even if they win, Rio may not become CM again: Therie
".....NSCN (IM) has already recognized the intricacies of the Indian political system... Now, Manipur has 60 MLAs but hills with 92 per cent of land has 20 legislators and the valley with only 8 percent land has 40 MLAs. If peace comes this can be changed. The hilly region can have at least 10 more, that is 30 MLAs in total. This, I told Muivah, will be a good legacy he can leave behind."
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| Nagaland Congress chief: Therie |
New Delhi
The proverb - Better late than never - does no longer work for Nagas of Nagaland.
People are desperate for a Solution after all these years. And the nexus between Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his 'friends' needs to be snapped, said Nagaland Congress chief K Therie.
"In the BJP-NDPP seat share deal there is a clause, there will not be any 'friendly contest', this is like handcuffs for Rio. We all know how things went on in 2018. BJP also knows. Who knows even if they win, Rio may not get chief ministership again," Therie told 'Nagaland Page' in an interview here.
"You see various things are at work...some central agencies you know...So, it is time for Rio to deliver. But he (Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio) may feel he is trapped. Otherwise, heart of heart, I don't know whether he will truly like to be in this manner......I feel his friends may even consider he should wish that he is defeated so that he is in peace," said Therie, one time close friend and compatriot of the chief minister.
"If the Modi Govt wants to take a decision, this is the time to take," he insisted, adding that
the government of India is aware of various pros and cons. The "nexus" between some politicians
and their "friends" have weakened the prospect of solution, he maintained.
On a visit to Delhi for party work, Therie along with Nagaland in-charge Dr Ajoy Kumar, a former cop, blasted the Modi government and the BJP for flip flop on Naga peace talks at a media conference on Aug 18.
Talking to this journalist, he shared "details" on how things have been "mishandled" both by the Rio government and the Government of India.
"At the end of the day, people's wishes are crucial. If the Naga people of Nagaland state are saying, we want solution; we must respect that. The stakeholders must respect that. I have said this earlier, those who do not
live up to people's expectations will one day feel shy of meeting his own people," Therie said.
Highlights
# Rio is a prisoner of circumstances - some his own creation.
# In the seat share deal there is a clause, "there will not be any friendly contest, this is like handcuffs for Rio".
"I know the Naga movement is quite old and leaders have promised and suffered, but today they can say, it is the wish of the people; and aspiration of the people. So let us accept this solution...We must see what is giveable from the Government of India," he said.
Therie also said that "we must appreciate the Framework Agreement of 2015 wherein it was stated that Naga leaders understand the intricacies of politics. So, we must go ahead on that score".
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| Nagaland Page - Aug 21, 2022 |
In this context, he asserted, "People want peace and a future for their children".
Answering questions, he said, "If elections take place without a solution it will not be a peaceful election. 2018 was different....even last year 2021, things were different...people kept on hoping; but now people are fed up with this prolonged peace process. We have as many as nine factions in Nagaland...People involved in the game should now leave behind a good legacy".
On the role of the state government headed by the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Therie said, "Well, he is saying have patience. He is speaking the language of UNC....Nagas of Nagaland have a different and a very bitter experience. As the leader of his state, Rio has to understand this".
It is high time the Territorial Autonomous Council as discussed during the stint of R N Ravi as the interlocutor has to be agreed and implemented.
"In fact, signing of the Framework Agreement showed this was agreed upon. Why go back now?"
To another question, he said, the autonomous council is a positive move as 'everybody' will get the Finance Commission awards and each region and sub region can be developed.
Referring to his meeting with NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah in Jan 2018, Therie said, "We had very
free and frank discussions....In the negotiation what is givable is also equally important. To leave a legacy,
I suggested to Muivah to negotiate to improve the political structures by way of delimitation of
Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and State Assembly improving the tally for Hill people according to population and
geographical ratio."
In this context, he further said, ".....NSCN (IM) has already recognized the intricacies of the Indian political system... Now, Manipur has 60 MLAs but hills with 92 per cent of land has 20 legislators and the valley with only 8 percent land has 40 MLAs. If peace comes this can be changed. The hilly region can have at least 10 more, that is 30 MLAs in total. This, I told Muivah, will be a good legacy he can leave behind. I was perhaps the only frank person to tell these things to him"
ends .
A large number of BJP sympathisers and a section of leaders are clueless about 20:40 seat share with NDPP in Nagaland.
Nagaland BJP has 50 % voters enrolled as Karyakartas.... if that is so, why the alliance and why playing second fiddle
New Delhi
BJP general secretary, Organisation, B L Santhosh is likely to visit Nagaland
next week.
Sources said while he would make a two-night stay, he is expected to have important
rounds of meetings with various party leaders and morcha workers on August 25 and 26.
The visit is important as it would help the Organisation general secretary to assess party karyakartas mood after the announcement of 20:40 seat share between the BJP and NDPP.
A number of BJP leaders have resented the move saying the party has lost a golden opportunity to expand its base in Nagaland.
"Nagaland has 11,90,285 voters, and BJP enrolled karyakartas are about five lakh, that is around 50 per cent. So what is the justification of playing second fiddle to a regional party and that too with minority seat share based on a formula evolved five years back," one key leader said.
At least six former MLAs and a few ex-ministers who joined BJP recently including from Mon and
Mokokchung districts may also call on Santhosh as their career has come at a 'crossroads' now.
The announcement of seat share alliance on July 26 has reportedly also upset a number of intending
candidates in a number of assembly constituencies.
There are reports that a number of leaders from various parties and retired officials including ex-IAS
officers "still keen to join" the saffron party are now "undecided" and in a confused stage of mind.
It came to light that before the July 26 seat share agreement, even central leaders were able to gauge the mood in favour of BJP in Nagaland.
"The development being the trump card, from leader-based growth, for the first time we could get a sense of organisational level growth and the party's acceptability had increased manifold despite the Christian-Hindu divisive factor played by our detractors," a key leader said.
ends
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