SC Jamir completes 4 years in office

Kohima, January 12: The Congress Government headed by Chief Minister SC Jamir in Nagaland is completing 4 years in office by February next and still poise to grab the seat of power for the next term too without much struggle. Jamir has been running his Government virtually without opposition. In the 60-Member State Assembly, 59 including Speaker belong to the Congress excepting one Independent MLA, Mavil who normally acts as "Opposition". In the last general election in 1998, all the regional political parties as well as National party like BJP opted out participation in it (election) on the advice of the Naga Hoho and other NGOs, saying that Indian election should not be imposed in the State (Nagaland) as well as other Naga inhabited areas while the peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN(IM) going on. This unprecedented decision gave work over to the Congress Party in the State as 43 of them returned uncontested and election held only in 17 constituencies where Congress won 11 seats while remaining 6 went to Independent candidates who later joined Congress except Mavil. "Around 40 Congress candidates will come back this time and the leader will be SC Jamir who has been chosen as undisputed leader of the party by the God", the president of the Nagaland Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee(NPMCC) Mrs Atsole Wazah told this Correspondent here on Saturday. Denying that there were no opposition in the State Assembly, the NPMCC president said number of Congress MLAs brought about crucial issues on the floor of the House pertaining to the State and sometimes there were heated debates going on. She also dismissed rumours that there were differences between Chief Minister SC Jamir and some of his senior Ministerial colleagues like Home Minister N Rio and Power Minister K Therie. "They are closely working in various issues ranging from developmental to Naga political issue in the State", she recalled. Wazah said State Mahilas had been entrusted by the Party (Congress) for scrutinizing the progress of the District Plan Fund allotted to each elected MLA as to how they had judiciously utilized the fund in their respective constituencies. Rs 55 lack has been allocated to each elected MLA under DPF for various developments of their respective constituencies. "Some of them (MLAs) are really doing well as we have physically verified the progress of the developments, besides some Members giving money to needy people", the State Mahila Chief stated. People from all corners give full cooperation to the Mahilas in the State and Mahilas growing from strength to strength, Wazah said adding, "We are really strengthening the hands of the Chief Minister SC Jamir and the Congress party as well. Expressing shock to the recent rape episode in the State where "mother and her 13-year old daughter were gang-raped", the Mahila Chief said such criminals should be awarded severest punishment like "Capital Punishment". Otherwise people will not scare from further committing such heinous crimes. "We have seen in the past that NSCN(K) awarded capital punishment to two of their cadres in Chakhesang areas for their involvement in raping. This in fact gave strong warning to the populace from indulging such crime (rape) again", she recalled. Wazah said Jamir has put all his effort for finding final, durable and permanent peace in Nagaland. She said the recent "Naga National Reconciliation Move" was a good start but regretted that sometimes some organisations intended to intiate such complex Naga issues without the knowledge of the Chief Minister (Jamir). "We have eleceted Government here to solve people's problem", she added.