IMPHAL, May 19: The Naga People’s Front, NPF should gracefully accept defeat instead of making wild statements, said Professor Gangmumei Kamei at the press meet held today at BJP office, Imphal.
He further said that the wild allegation of Neiphiu Rio, the outgoing Chief Minister of Nagaland,
“Congress has not defeated us, Nagas have defeated us” is the “most deplorable and contemptuous statement.”
He further resented another NPF leader TR Zeliang’s statement that there were three Naga candidates in the Outer constituency which resulted in the division of Naga votes.
The BJP candidate for Manipur Outer parliamentary constituency in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls was addressing a press conference today at the BJP’s Nityaipat Chuthek office.
Gangmumei asserted, “It is widely known that NSCN-IM armed cadres captured more than 120 polling stations on behalf of the NPF candidate Soso Lorho in the Naga dominated districts. However, they failed to collect enough votes to ensure the victory of the NPF candidate. Failure of NPF in this election is due to the failure of NSCN-IM cadres to completely control polling in the constituency.
Rio should not blame Prof. Gangmumei Kamei nor Mani Charenamei for the defeat of NPF, rather he should blame his mentor in the underground set up for his failure to capture the votes for his party.”
He said that Dr Khasim Ruivah, a former minister and senior BJP leader was detained by the NSCN -IM at Ukhrul and subsequently under house arrest at his village of Somdal during the polls.
“PA Theko, the chief election agent of the BJP candidate was kidnapped and interrogated in an unknown place in Senapati district.”
“The NSCN-IM cadres forcibly destroyed the BJP office in Ukhrul. They detained several workers including women leaders. Several BJP workers were beaten up in Phungyar constituency and Chandel town. We brought these illegal activities of the NSCN (IM) to the notice of Election Commission of India and Government of Manipur.”
Further continuing his rant, the state BJP leader alerted that these anti-BJP activities of NSCN-IM expose the nexus between the NSCN-IM and NPF, their leaders particularly Neiphiu Rio and Soso Lorho.
“Their activities are illegal and anti-national. It is complete denial of the democratic right of people to choose their own representative for Parliament in the largest democracy of the world,” he stated.
Rio’s blaming the two candidates for the defeat of NPF is an attempt to hide the cause of the NPF to capture power through the poll, he lamented.
The people of Manipur have shown their verdict that they do not accept the aim and have objected to the aim and objective of NPF to destroy the entity of Manipur, Prof Gangmumei further observed. Therefore, it is childish to blame the cause of the defeat of NPF on the two Naga candidates who have complete fundamental freedom to express the opinion and contest in the election in a democracy, he asserted.
He further said that, the nefarious role of Neiphiu Rio in the internal politics of Manipur by playing up ethnic Naga card is simply anti-national and communal.
“It is funny that such a leader who tries to destroy BJP organisation in a neighbouring state is lobbying to get a berth in Narendra Modi’s cabinet of the NDA government.”
NPF is not a pre-poll ally of NDA or BJP. Such a person should not be given any berth in the BJP led ministry. The election result clearly shows that the dictate of Rio and NPF has not been accepted by the Nagas of Manipur, he announced.
The people of Manipur irrespective of party affiliation should remain highly alerted of this dangerous party and its leaders, he said.
The BJP candidate however, congratulated Thangsho Baite and Dr th Meinya Singh over their success.
He said he along with his other colleagues of the BJP including Inner Constituency candidate Dr RK Ranjan wholeheartedly congratulate Narendra Modi for the historic win.
The party hope and wished that under his able leadership the nation would emerge more powerful and more united, he said.
He reiterated that the election result has shown that the ideology and objectives of the BJP are acceptable both to the people of hills and plains in Manipur.
