Only Congress could bring development to NE : PM

Kohima/Shillong, Feb 27 (UNI) Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh today reiterated that the Northeast could usher in development only under the Congress regime and said smaller parties could not provide stability.

In an election rally at Kohima, Dr Singh said, '' It is because of their commitment and unquestioned love for the Nagas that the people have always supported the Congress. It is only the Congress, which can bring prosperity and development and bring overall progress in the country. '' The Prime Minister urged the people to bring the Congress to power in Nagaland and lift the state out of the morass of 'hotchpotch coalition'.

'' There is no rule of law and the people are suffering from lawlessness in Nagaland. A government, which cannot provide security to its people, has no right to get popular mandate again, '' Dr Singh asserted.

Criticising the outgoing Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Government, Dr Singh said for the past five years Nagaland had been under a 'hotchpotch coalition' of different parties under the name of DAN having no common agenda or ideology, but a common desire to be in power.

Blaming DAN for trying to divide people on tribal, communal and racial lines, Dr Singh said, '' For this Nagaland missed immense opportunities and is lagging behind on the road to progress and prosperity. '' Stressing on a stable government in Nagaland to ensure all round development, he said the Congress had always attached special attention to the North East since the time of Pandit Nehru, who had the foresight to recognise the distinct identity of the Nagas and gave statehood to Nagaland.

He said Nagaland needed an era of peace and stability so that the Nagas could devote their energies to their cultural, educational, social and economic development and urged the electorate to strengthen the hands of Congress and bring it to power to achieve these.

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