Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com
Vol XXIX No. 96
DIMAPUR, THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 Pages 12 ` 5.0
Mamata dares Modi to contest from Bengal in 2019
Australia beat India to clinch series 3-2
UK Theresa May to vote against no-deal Brexit
national, Page 5
sports, Page 12
international, Page 9
BJP seals pact in NE; aims 22 seats GUWAHATI, MAR 13 (PTI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has finalised its alliances in the North East, setting a target of winning at least 22 of the 25 Lok Sabha seats from eight states of the region, party general secretary Ram Madhav claimed on Wednesday. Madhav, the BJP’s incharge of the Northeast, held a series of discussions here on Tuesday till past midnight and sealed the alliances with the Asom Gana Parishad, Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), National People’s Party, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha. The BJP leader was scheduled to holding a meeting with Tripura chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb and leaders of the IPFT in Agartala on Wednesday. The alliances have been finalised under the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), the BJPled National Democratic Alliance’s political coalition with the regional parties of the region. “This alliance has the potential of winning not less than 22 out of 25 seats
in the region and play an important role in seeing Modi-ji as the PM once again,” Madhav posted on Facebook. On Tuesday, Madhav had met Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, Manipur chief minister Biren Singh, Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma. Madhav also met a delegation of the AGP, the led by party president Atul Bora, and finalised reunion of the former allies. “It was a hectic day of parlays yesterday in the North East. Sustained negotiations at Dimapur and Guwahati with different senior leaders. Have finally sealed the alliance and electoral understanding between the BJP and all major parties in the North East,” he added in the post. “The BJP, NPP, NDPP, AGP and BPF will fight together in Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh with the mission of defeating Congress party at the hustings. In Tripura, the BJP will fight
the elections together with IPFT, our alliance partner,” Madhav said. In Sikkim, BJP’s alliance will be with the main opposition party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, he added. “While the Opposition is still talking and talking about ‘Mahagatbandhan’ (grand alliance), we already have ours in place in the North East and the rest of the country. The NDA is a much stronger coalition today than before,” Madhav said.
No alliance with BJP in any state: NPP Correspondent
SHILLONG, MAR 13: NPP president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday said that the National People’s Party will have no pre-poll alliance with the BJP in any state for the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections. “The NPP has been very clear on its stand that we are a party that has its own identity, ideology. Therefore, we will fight the election on our own terms in any states, and we will contest in those where we feel it is appropriate,” he told journalists
Sangma said that the NPP had also sent clear message to the BJP general secretary in-charge of North East, Ram Madhav at a meeting held on Tuesday with the chief ministers from Assam , Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya that it will not stitch any pre-poll alliance with the BJP. “We are working towards fielding candidates in all the 25 Lok Sabha seats across the North Eastern states. It is not practically possible for us to immediately to field candidates … but wherever we get a positive response and wherever it is possible to organise our party in a short period we will put a candidate,” he said. On the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Sangma said, “We have been very clear from day one that if this Bill is passed we are going to severe our ties with the BJP and NDA. However, that did not happen and most probably it was because of the discussion that took place between the NDA partners and the BJP that has led to a situation that the BJP reconsidered and did not bring forward that Bill.”
Sunday business to PDA announces candidates resume in Dimapur for Lok Sabha and by-election
DIMAPUR, MAR 13 (NPN): Six Dimapur based organizations have asked traders dealing with perishable items, groceries, confectioneries, medicine, hotels and restaurants and travel to start plying their trade from Sunday– March 17 – onwards within Dimapur municipal area and East Dimapur jurisdiction. Since there was no response from the NSCN (I-M) to their appeal to lift the ban imposed on Sunday trading in the State’s commercial hub, the organisations said it had considered the silence as an approval from the group. Therefore, in a joint statement, Naga Council Dimapur, GB Union Dimapur, Dimapur Urban Colony Chairmen Federation, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industries and East Dimapur Business Association have asked the above-mentioned traders to open their shops on Sundays. The organisations also warned that any shop not following their directive would be severely penalised by them in their jurisdiction. The six bodies further appealed to NSCN (I-M) leadership to brief its rank and file about their decision. Cautioning the business community to remain vigilant as some elements could take undue advantage of the confusion of Sunday closure and dupe them through collection of fee/tax for opening shops during the weekend, the organisations asked them to report such matters to the appropriate authority immediately. The organisations demanded that the district administration and police deploy adequate security personnel, both in uniform and civil dress, in those areas where shops would be opened to prevent unwarranted harassment.
Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, MAR 13 (NPN): The ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) has renominated sitting Lok Sabha MP, Tokheho Yepthomi for the ensuing Parliamentary polls and also nominated Sharingain Longkum- (L-R) Tokheho Yepthomi and Sharingain (File) er for the by-election to Nungshizenba Longkumer and 26-Aonglenden A/C, to be held simultaneously on April the general manager of Eastern Mirror, as the consensus candi11, 2019. Both Tokheho and Sharin- date of the PDA allies comprising gain belong to the Nationalist of BJP, NPP, JD(U) and Independent. Democratic Progressive Party. The by-election is crucial In 2018, Tokheho, the confor the NDPP as the strength of sensus candidate of the PDA, won the by-election to the lone Lok the party in the Assembly has Sabha seat in Nagaland, defeat- come down to 17 from 18 MLAs ing opposition NPF candidate, after the demise of Imtikumzuk C Apok Jamir, by a margin of Longkumer. Further, out of the 17 MLAs, the speaker is not taken 1,73,746 votes. The Lok Sabha by-poll was into consideration except in a vote necessitated after chief minister, where there is a tie. The ticket distribution for Neiphiu Rio resigned from the Lower House of the Parliament the PDA nominees is scheduled to contest the Assembly elections to be held on March 14 at NDPP Central headquarters, Chümoukeheld on February 28, 2018. Meanwhile, following the dima. While the PDA is all set to demise of NDPP legislator, Imtikumzuk Longkumer in September roll out its election machinery 2018, the 26-Aonglenden A/C to retain the seat, the opposiseat remained vacant since then. tion NPF will also not let an In order to retain the seat, opportunity go by in putting up NDPP will field Sharingain Long- a consensus candidate like the kumer, son of former minister late 2018 by-poll.
Open to alliance NVGA calls for 2-day strike in 5 districts MAR 13 (NPN): and too little” and directed order through an appeal. with likeminded KOHIMA, Nagaland Village Guards’ the State government to exHe claimed that the (NVGA) has amine and raise the same to association had written sevparties, says NPF Association called for a strike on March a “reasonable level”, but not eral times to the authorities
DIMAPUR, MAR 13 (NPN): NPF said it was open to alliance with any like-minded party to uphold the interest of Naga people during the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Reacting to a report in Nagaland Post (“Cong for tie up with NPF for LS polls”) published on March 12, that NPF was likely to tie up with Congress in the ensuing election, the opposition party admitted that it was finding every ways and means to defeat the PDA candidate, but clarified that it was yet to take any decision as reported. Not ruling out the possibility of tie-up with any other-like-minded party, if it was for the interest and common good of Naga people, NPF, however, said its high command and leaders were yet to take any decision in this regard or discuss the matter. The Congress sources told Nagaland Post, that the party was keen to set up a consensus candidate along with the NPF. In the by-poll to the lone Lok Sabha seat, the NPF and Congress had forged a strategic understanding by setting up a common candidate from the NPF.
This is it!
“Modi-ji isn’t taking Rahul lightly. He’s using twitter besides rallies to attack Rahul.” K Y M C
19 and 20 from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. in five districts-- Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, Kiphire and Noklak, besides Meluri sub-division, against alleged non-revision of pay and allowances of village guards (VGs). Incidentally, the strike announcement comes even as the State government claimed that it had hiked the honorarium of VGs from the earlier rate of Rs 1,500 per month to Rs 3,000 per month with effect from April 1, 2018. In a statement, NVGA president TA Ngamlao recalled that on November 9, 2017, the Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench, after reviewing the matter from all aspects, had observed that nobody could deny that VGs’ existing wages and allowances were “too meagre
less than that of the Home Guards in Nagaland. Since then, he said the VGs had been waiting though the court had ordered that the exercise be completed within two months from the date of “receipt of the court order” and the wages and allowances should be made effective from January 1, 2017 as the VGs have “suffered for too long”. Ngamlao recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and chief minister Neiphiu Rio, during the last Assembly election campaign, had promised to raise the wages of VGs, if voted to power. He, however, regretted that instead of honouring the court order and its promises, the PDA government had challenged the court
concerned, but to no avail. He explained that this had forced them to resort to strike during which traffic movement in any manner would not be allowed, barring those belonging to media, on emergency medical duties like carrying patients and students appearing for exams. NVGA also sought public cooperation to make the strike a success. Govt enhances honorarium: Additional chief secretary & home commissioner Sentiyanger Imchen has informed through a notification that, pursuance to Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ letter dated March 15, 2018, the State government had enhanced the honorarium of VGs with concurrence of the finance department vide its letter dated March 5, 2019.
IT to monitor poll expenditure, flow of black money in NE
Flying of drones banned around Dimapur airport
DIMAPUR, MAR 13 (NPN): Income Tax department has deployed 116 additional officials and inspectors across the North Eastern states to monitor election expenditure of candidates and flow of black money during the Lok Sabha poll process, principal chief commissioner of Income Tax of North East Region (NER), Kavita Jha stated in a press note. The officials have been deputed under the directorate of Income Tax (Investigation) and would join the existing 41 posted in 112 districts of the region. The investigation wing issued orders for deployment of the 157 officials who will spread over seven states- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of these states have been officially
intimated about the deployment. The deployment is under directions of the Election Commission of India to the Central Board of Direct Taxes, Jha stated. The IT sleuths would monitor movement of large sum of cash or other items suspected to be used for bribing voters and conduct independent enquiry following information or complaint against any person. They would also verify affidavits declaring assets and liabilities filed by the candidates. “Banks are also required to pass on information about withdrawal of more than Rs 10 lakh to the nodal officer of the directorate, ,” Jha said. The directorate has also activated Air Intelligence Units at all airports in the region and would monitor movement of cash or valuables.
DIMAPUR, MAR 13 (NPN): Taking serious note of security breach, where unauthorized drones/unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been operational over and around Dimapur airport, Dimapur Police has banned such operation around the airport area. In a communiqué, Commissioner of Police (CP), Dimapur said operating drones/UAVs may also jeopardize flight safety. In this regard, CP has warned of punitive action against those violators.
‘UPA will reserve 33% govt jobs for women’
C H E N NA I , M A R 1 3 (IANS): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the UPA will reserve 33 per cent government jobs for women and pass the Women’s Reservation Bill giving them 33 per cent of seats in Lok Sabha if the party is voted to power. (Full story on p-7)
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