Naga issue dominates election campaigns

Electioneering is picking up with both ruling coalition and its arch rival Congress harping on Naga political problem to woo the voters.

Electioneering is picking up in Nagaland with both ruling coalition and its arch rival Congress harping on Naga political problem to woo the voters for may 5 Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Although the Election Commission issued the notification last week for poll in Nagaland, so far only a Congress candidate has filed nomination seeking re-election while Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) candidate is expected to file papers on Tuesday.

DAN, a coalition of Nagaland People's Front (NPF), BJP and JD (U), on Saturday kick-started its poll campaign at a joint rally at Dimapur, calling upon the electorate to elect its consensus candidate Wangyuh Konyak, who last year joined NPF after winning the assembly election on Congress ticket.

Addressing the rally Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his Cabinet colleagues assured the people to work for an early settlement of the vexed Naga political problem and implement the promises made in the common minimum programme of the coalition regime.

On the other hand the opposition Congress last week released a booklet, Elections 2004: Achievements and Promises, asserting the party was the first to initiate the current peace process in Nagaland and called for a unified effort to resolve the decades-old political problem.

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