Congress bid to put house in order ahead of polls

Major Events Vol. 3 Issue No. 45

March 1-15, 2008

Congress bid to put house in order ahead of polls

Apparently perturbed over the desertions of senior party leaders ahead of the Assembly elections in Nagaland, the Congress has appealed to all of them to come back and work for it.

“Those who had left should come back as the Congress can accommodate them by giving more responsibility,” AICC secretary in-charge of Nagaland Ranji Thomas said.

He said the party felt and recognised the pains of those who were left out in the race for party tickets for the ensuing election, but they should understand the AICC’s sole criteria for distributing tickets to aspirants was the “winnability” of a candidate.

Thomas said there are leaders who are not part of the government at the Centre but are in no way less capable than Union Ministers.

On resentment among some members of Congress women cell, Thomas said the party asked its lady workers to apply for tickets, but only a single aspirant lobbied for a particular constituency where the chances of winning of the nominated male candidate seemed to be more.

So her name was dropped by AICC but she understood the situation and vowed to work extensively for the party during electioneering, he said.

Congress’ desperation stemmed from the fact that despite defections of DAN coalition partners after the no-confidence motion against the Neiphiu Rio Government and subsequent demand for dissolution of the alliance government, the immediate advantage in favour of the party, was followed by defection by a sizeable number of leaders when they were left out in the list of nominees including former Speaker Z Lohe.

Following the defection spate in the DAN, 19 legislators joined Congress and asked for party tickets. But the Congress dropped party veterans while accommodating at least 10 defectors.

Lohe, who won elections on Congress ticket since 1985, immediately after defection was made NPF Adviser and joined Rio’s campaigning trails visiting district after district.

Another senior Congress leader and former Cabinet Minister and Speaker Neiba Ndang also did not find his name in the party list.

Senior Congress leader K L Chishi conceded that the distribution of tickets, leaving out many stalwarts, has cost the party in the run-up to the polls.

Chishi, who has confined his campaign to his constituency, yesterday received a shot in the arms when AICC poll observer for Nagaland Sanjay Nirupam exhorted the voters in Dimapur-I to vote for him.

CLP leader I Imkong also addressed a series of meetings at different places under Mokokchung district, a traditional Congress stronghold, explaining why the party should be brought back to power ousting NPF-led alliance in Nagaland.

Calling upon senior politician Lohe to come back to the party fold, PCC Vice-president Nuzota Surho, nevertheless, claimed his desertion would hardly have any impact on Congress in Phek district, comprising five Assembly segments, in particular and the State in general.

Launching a tirade against his old party, Lohe, along with Rio, described Congress as a ‘betrayer and a divided house’ grappling with serious leadership crisis.

Your Visit No

Since April 20, 2000