As Nagaland readies for Parliamentary elections in the state’s lone seat, the Congress has received a shot in the arm after another opposition party, Naga People’s Front (NPF), opted out of the race. It was the NPF’s conscious decision to defeat the consensus candidate of ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) which is made up of BJP, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Janata Dal (United).
Nagaland Congress chief K Therie tells Prasanta Mazumdar in an interview why the people of Nagaland will reject the PDA
What are the Congress’s poll prospects? Why should people support it?
We are confident that we will do well this time around. The Congress is the only alternative. We stand for the freedom of religion. Secondly, we uphold our identity because of the threat posed from the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The Congress had stood up and taken a firm decision opposing this controversial Bill when the Narendra Modi government made an attempt to ensure its passage in Parliament. Thirdly, the BJP has no political will to solve the protracted “Naga political problem”. It is only the Congress that can consider political solution for Nagaland.
Is the NPF’s decision to not contest a blessing in disguise for the Congress?
I believe our chances have brightened as the NPF opted out of the poll race. We are also looking for support from non-PDA political parties. I am in negotiations with like-minded parties. I hope we will be able to get together and put up a united fight against the PDA.
The Centre’s interlocutor in Naga peace process, RN Ravi, visited Nagaland and held talks with the rebels. How do you see it?
The BJP’s idea is a uniform civil code – one nation, one law and one religion. We are demanding special status but what do they have for us? And who is RN Ravi? He is just an interlocutor. He cannot make any decision. He is only buying time on behalf of the BJP and the NDA government. This is nothing but wastage of time. They cannot fool us all the time.