Source: Oken Jeet Sandham / NEPS - http://www.nepsindia.com
Kohima, March 19:
The Nagaland Unit of BJP described as �figment of imagination� and �totally wrong� the remark made by erstwhile NDM President KL Chishi while merging formally with the Congress party in the State that solution to Naga political problem would not be possible under BJP-led NDA Government at the Center.
Addressing a press conference here at BJP Unit office on Friday, President of the Nagaland BJP Unit M Chuba Ao recalled the crucial roles contributed by the BJP towards Naga political problem while it was even in Opposition.
The State BJP leaderships had approached Central BJP leadership including Atal Behari Vajpayee while the latter was Leader of the Opposition to take up the Naga political issue for dialogue without any pre-condition.
And today, after Vajpayee became the Prime Minister of this country, several peace processes and negotiations took place even in this country and things were going in right direction.
Therefore, the statement of the NDM President, Chishi, who was also former Chief Minister of Nagaland, that Naga problem would not be resolved under BJP-led Government at the Center was totally �wrong,� the Nagaland BJP Chief pointed out.
Although Chishi seemed willing to join BJP in 2000 unsuccessfully, his charges that communal forces were trying to destroy the identity and belief of the Naga people was unbecoming because they (DAN partners) had put up a consensus NFP candidate, TR Zeliang, a minority tribe aimed at protecting the interest and identity of minority community of the Naga people, Chuba Ao said adding such step was never done in the past by any other party.
Hence, there was no question of communal forces trying to destroy the identity and belief of the Naga people as alleged by Chishi, the Nagaland BJP President stated.
Denying that VHP had clout over the BJP as often seen by some section of people, Chuba Ao said VHP was a �religious organization� while BJP as political one.
�Therefore VHP has nothing to do with BJP but if some organization wanting to support BJP, we can�t stop them,� he asserted.
Chuba Ao also scotched speculations that differences were there within the DAN partners especially NPF and BJP after the selections of LS and RS candidates.
He said there was absolute cohesion and understanding not only within the DAN partners but also BJP themselves, though some kind of feeling was naturally there among the BJP workers when their candidate was not figured in the list because the party happened to be the second largest partner in DAN component.
But such development was temporary and the main goal was to look forward with positive note in winning the electoral battle.