Nagaland polls contest between Nagas, outside forces: NPF chief

Kohima: Nagaland's ruling NPF chief Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Monday said the February 27 assembly election is not just a contest between political parties to form a government but between outside forces and the force of the Naga people.

"Many tall Naga leaders succumbing to power and money would soon land the Naga people into great trouble if they are voted to power," he said at an election rally here.

Drumming up support for his party candidate Loguseng Semp (Logus) at Tseminyu town, the former Chief Minister warned that a day would come when the whole Naga people will suffer and their identity might perish if they do not realize what force is penetrating into their land.

"The 2018 (assembly) election is so much unlike the other elections, and that it is a selection between the destruction or preservation of the Naga people and their identity," Liezietsu said.

Noting that in the 15-year rule of Naga People's Front-led government, many achievements have taken place, he, however, said that the outgoing 12th Assembly saw the greatest crisis in the history of Nagaland and this crisis had developed due to some "corrupt" and "power-mongering" leaders.

However, he maintained that many of these leaders were dropped from the NPF and were denied party ticket, with only 17 of 48 NPF legislators in the outgoing house fielded again.

"As promised, the NPF has fielded fresh, capable and winnable leaders who have concern for the uplift of the Naga people," he told the gathering.

Reminding the electorates that during elections many political parties come up with "tall promises in their manifestos just to lure the voters, Liezietsu, however, said that the NPF manifesto is "written on a pragmatic way which is achievable and is purely for the development of the people and the state".

Noting that the newly-floated Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party is yet to be recognized by the Election Commission and the rest were all national parties, the NPF chief questioned which party belongs to the Naga people and which party can really with work the Naga people, and asked every individual to use their wisdom and decide accordingly in the coming election.