RJD to field 20 candidates in Assembly polls

Dimapur, Jun 18 (UNI) In a bid to make inroads into Nagaland politics, the Nagaland unit of Rastriya Janata Dal (RJD) has decided to field 20 candidates in the forthcoming Assembly Elections, scheduled in the first two months of 2008.

Addressing mediapersons here yesterday, President of the State Unit of RJD Khetovi Kinny said his party would field 20 candidates throughout the state and vowed that, if elected, the party would work to bring ''real development'' in the state.

He, however, ruled out any pre-poll alliance with any party.

Elaborating the developmental activities taken up by the Railway Ministry headed by the RJD supreme Lalu Prasad, Mr Khetovi said the Ministry had sanctioned Rs 911.99 crore for construction of 88.4 Km of railway line from Dimapur to Zubza, near Kohima.

Rs 850 crore had already been handed over to the North East Frontier Railway, he claimed adding that the survey works for the project had been completed and the construction would start soon.

He said Parliament had also approved the rail routes from Kohima-Mimi in Kiphire district bordering Myanmar and Tuli-Naginimora-Myanmar, besides increasing the bogies of the Amguri-Tuli train from nine to 24 and extension of the railway line from Tuli Paper Mill to Tuli town.

Besides, the Railway Ministry had approved renovation of Dimapur railway station with a two-storeyed building, parking facilities, foot bridge and a new flyover connecting the railway station.

Secretary of Nagaland RJD Tali Ponger, who was also present, said the RJD had taken special interest for the development of Nagaland and claimed that they would fight all forms of corruption and malpractices in the state.

UNI