The Janata Dal (United) party held a grand programme today at Chukitong Range Public Ground, Wokha, to declare the candidature of Senchumo (NSN) Lotha for 37 Tyui A/C in the forthcoming Nagaland Legislative Assembly Elections.
Yanthungo Patton, the Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland and belonging to the Bhartiya Janata Party, is the sitting MLA of the constituency, having won three consecutive times in 2008, 2013 and 2018.
JDU national president and Lok Sabha MP from Bihar, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, national general secretary (I/C NE) and Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) Bihar, Afaque Ahmad Khan, Rajya Sabha MP Aneel Hegde, and MLC Bihar Sanjay Kumar Jha, were present at the rally along with the state JDU leaders and party supporters.
Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, officially declaring the candidature of NSN Lotha to the public, expressed confidence in NSN Lotha whom he described as a “very committed leader” like the party supremo Nitish Kumar.
The national party president stated that Lotha is “always concerned for the cause of the people, the development of Nagaland and the long pending Nagaland peace” and assured the people that Lotha will ensure the long-awaited development in Tyui constituency as their representative.
Singh said the sitting MLA and Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland Y Patton has done nothing for his constituency in the last three terms. “BJP has betrayed Nagaland,” he declared and added that it had no rights to ask for votes for the people of the state.
He guaranteed that if JDU become a stakeholder in the next government, they will work sincerely for peace in Nagaland and implement the 2015 Framework Agreement.
Afaque Ahmad Khan, in his speech, stated that the JDU is the only party working for the peace solution. He recapped that the party leaders met with the then Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in 2018 for the Naga issue and also held a dharna at Jantar Mantar for the cause.
Khan reminded the gathered of BJP’s 2018 Assembly Election slogan ‘Election for Solution’ and said there has “not [been] a single development”.
The national general secretary said the real declaration will be on 27 February, the voting day. He stated that some people will play the game of “money power” but no power can win against the power of the mass.
JDU will not give false promises just as the Bihar chief minister has delivered on all the promises he made to his people in Bihar, Khan added.
Aneel Hegde, in his speech, remembered Lt Jai Prakash Narayan, Nitish Kumar’s political mentor, who visited Nagaland in the 1950s and walked hill to hill preaching peace and even received acknowledgement from the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC). He said that as part of the J P Movement, the JDU believes in democratic socialism and is very concerned for the state.
Hedge said the failure to seal the political solution reflects the instability of the state government. He appealed to the Nagas to stand united against anti-democratic forces who want to prolong the unrest.
“My party appeals to the conscience of the Nagas that whether bifurcation of the Nagas will bring peace to the souls of those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the integration of Naga inhabited areas,” Hedge said, referring to Frontier Nagaland. He also asserted that the party believes in uniform development.
The Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar also reminded that it was Ranjan Singh who raised the 2021 Oting massacre issue in the Lok Sabha and lamented that the Centre has not given the “permission to prosecute the accused”.
He said that the party is proud of Senchumo Lotha’s candidature and requested the people of Tyui Constituency to vote for him.
Sanjay Kumar Jha said the election in the constituency will be watched all over the country because Lotha, “a grassroot worker, a fighter”, will be contesting against a mighty candidate.
The minister of Water Resources and IPR, Government of Bihar, announced that the JDU will be part of the new government in Nagaland and Lotha will be the Deputy CM of that government.
Nitish Kumar is going to challenge “Delhi’s throne” in 2024, Jha proclaimed, which was why, he added the performance of JDU in Nagaland was crucial not just for the state but also for the country.
He ended his speech with the slogan “Vote for Arrow” – the sign of the JDU party.
Senchumo (NSN) Lotha, the intending candidate of 37 Tyui A/C, in his speech expressed his gratitude to his supporters and said he wanted to win not for his own gain but for everyone. Led by the motto ‘Development with Justice’, he affirmed that he aspires to be a hardworking leader who possess the will to understand his followers and lead them to the right path, and also always lend a hand to the people who need help.
Chukitong Range Public Organisation, Nyiro Range Public Organization and well-wishers from Englan Range took turns declaring their support to the candidate.
The candidature declaration programme ended with the Anthem of JDU composed and sung by Thunglamo Ngullie. The anthem lyric was written by Senchumo (NSN) Lotha himself.
