'Congress never looked towards Nagaland': PM Modi

In Nagaland, the BJP-NDPP alliance has a bright chance of forming the next government again.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's mantra for Nagaland has been - peace, progress and prosperity and this is the reason people's trust in the party is rising, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

Addressing a joint public rally of the BJP-NDPP in poll-bound Nagaland, PM Modi said "BJP with the help of technology, has curbed corruption in the north-east. Under PM Kissan Saman Nidhi scheme, people are getting money directly in their bank accounts."

"Today, the Central government is giving free ration to thousands of families in Nagaland. This is happening because we don't consider the 8 states of the Northeast as ATMs as the Congress party did. For us, the 8 Northeast states are 'Ashta Lakshmi'," said PM Modi.

"Work is underway to connect Kohima with railways. Once connected with railways, it will increase the ease of living and ease of doing business here. From tourism to technology and sports to startups, the Government of India helping the youth of Nagaland," the prime minister said.

"After many decades, there was no incident of violence during Assembly elections in Tripura as there is a BJP government in the state," he said.

Attacking the Opposition, the prime minister said, "Congress leaders in Delhi never looked towards Nagaland, and never gave importance to stability and prosperity in the state. Congress always ran the Nagaland govt on remote control from Delhi. From Delhi to Dimapur, Congress indulged in familial politics."

In Nagaland, the BJP-NDPP alliance has a bright chance of forming the next government again. There is no opposition in the hill state after the Naga People's Front (NPF) joined the NDPP last year.

The BJP has decided to continue its alliance with the Neiphiu Rio-led National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) this time and agreed to contest 20 seats.

In 2018, the BJP-NDPP alliance stormed to power by bagging a total of 30 seats and formed the government. The saffron party also got support from the sole Independent MLA and the sole Janata Dal (United) MLA.

The outcome of the election results in the northeastern states is crucial for the BJP to shed the image of being an 'anti-Christian party'.