Kohima/Kolkata: A day after the Nagaland unit of Congress criticised it for its dismal performance in the recent Manipur election, the ruling Naga People’s Front of Nagaland on Saturday said it would continue to work for political integration of contiguous Naga areas in northeastern region.
NPF said Congress has no moral authority to issue any certificate on performance of others when it was itself rejected in Nagaland in two consecutive elections since 2003.
Congress had on Friday said NPF’s campaign for Naga integration during the electioneering was rejected by voters in Manipur as it could manage to win only four of the total 12 seats it contested in Naga inhabited areas of the hill state.
NPF said it was clear from the Congress statement that the party was against integration of the Nagas.
The Front also pointed out that the Nagaland assembly had passed a resolution four times in favour of integration of contiguous Naga areas and was also enshrined in Clause 13 of the 16-point agreement of 1960 that led to statehood of Nagaland in 1963.
TC to work for the development in Manipur : Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has said that her party which emerged as the main opposition party in Manipur winning seven of the 60 seats, would work for the development of the state.
The newly-elected legislators would elect the Leader of the Opposition soon, Banerjee told reporters after they met her at the state secretariat at Kolkata.
The party’s All India General Secretary and Union Minister of State for Shipping Mukul Roy and party MP Derek O’Brien would be present during the election of the Leader of the Opposition.
“We are grateful to the people of Manipur for electing our candidates. We also congratulate our candidates too for their success,” Banerjee said.
Of the seven legislators, six met Banerjee along with the President of the party’s Manipur unit Kim Gangte. Those who met Banerjee were T H Shyamkumar, T H Biswajit, Dr I Ibohanbi, O Lukhoi, K Sharat and K H Joykishan.
Earlier, expressing happiness with his party emerging as the second largest outfit in Manipur with seven seats in its maiden electoral foray, Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien said Mamata Banerjee’s message of peace and development has worked in the northeastern state.
“We are very happy. Trinamool and Mamatadi’s message of development and peace has worked in Manipur,” said O’Brien, a Rajya Sabha member.
“We have got 18 percent of the votes and seven seats in our first election in Manipur. This is good. Within a short time Manipur voters have blessed us,” he said. (Agencies)
