Nagaland CM Rio hopeful of a 5th term as CM; speaks on Naga issue and ENPO demand

Rio who is the longest serving Chief Minister of Nagaland, is hopeful of getting a 5th term as CM of the state. “By the grace of God and people's support

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is totally confident that the NDPP-BJP combine will come back to power with a clear majority. Briefing newspersons after casting his vote, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said, “we will run the affairs of the state once again. we will win by a record margin including myself”.

Rio who is the longest serving Chief Minister of Nagaland, is hopeful of getting a 5th term as CM of the state. “By the grace of God and people’s support if I am elected I am already the longest serving Chief Minister, it is my privilege and I am really humbled by the love and the support of the people. So, this time if I come back it will be my 5th term as Chief Minister consecutively. So this is a very good record for any politician and in a troubled state like Nagaland.”

CM Rio was accompanied by his wife and two daughters.

The Nagaland Chief Minister also made a significant statement about the people’s hopes pertaining to the Naga issue. He said, “People desire for a solution to the protracted Naga political issue and then permanent peace and development (all round development).”

Responding to a query on whether the Naga issue will be resolved anytime soon, Chief Minister Rio hopes that efforts will yield results since the 2 major stakeholders, the NSCN-IM and the NNPGs have come together for bringing a solution.

The Nagaland Chief Minister said, “I hope and pray (on Naga political issue) you see that the IM (NSCN-IM) had signed the Framework Agreement on 3rd August, 2015 and the NNPG signed on 17th November 2017. So both strong groups had signed and they were not together. That is why I feel that there was no solution during this period. But on 14th January, 2023 they had given a joint statement that we (NSCN-IM & NNPGs) will together solve the Naga issue through the historical right of the Nagas and protecting the culture, tradition and identity of the Nagas. So I think coming together give us more hope to resolve Naga issue.”

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also assured that efforts regarding the demand of the ENPO will be looked into.

In this regard, Rio said, “for the Eastern (ENPO) their demand, their memorandum which has been long outstanding and Home Minister Amit Shah ji, he had invited them for talks and made them understand, because when they went to the extent of boycotting the election in the state of Nagaland.”

The Nagaland Chief Minister added that elections are going on peacefully since the ENPO had reached an understanding with the government. Rio also referred to the fact that Home Minister Amit Shah had received a massive response during his rallies in Eastern Nagaland.

He said, “Because of coming to an understanding their call off, the election is going on peacefully. I had also campaigned in Eastern Nagaland jointly with Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji in Mon and Tuensang. So there is a huge welcoming of Home Minister and he said that this will be addressed and I also gave assurance that Government of Nagaland, we will come back to power, we will go full support to uplift their deficiencies of infrastructure and their government jobs also and we will develop their economy. This is what I assured and will definitely work towards that.”

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