The Hindu : National : Candidates have face-to-face interaction with voters in Kohima constituency

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Monday, Feb 18, 2008
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Candidates have face-to-face interaction with voters in Kohima constituency

Sushanta Talukdar

Organisers also arranged a video recording of the entire programme

— Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

FOR PEACEFUL POLLS: Para-millitary forces being deployed in Agartala,Tripura, in preparation for the Assembly elections on February 23.

Kohima: As political parties stepped up their campaign to woo the people of Lerie Colony in the Kohima Assembly constituency, it was an opportunity for the residents on Sunday to extract a commitment from the candidates that whoever elected will translate the promises into action.

YouthCare, a local organisation, organised “A common platform for Candidates” at St. Mary’s School here to provide an opportunity to each candidate to reach out to the voters.

‘They forget promises’

“Our past experiences showed that our elected representatives conveniently forget the promises they make during electioneering and the aspiration of the voters of seeing their respective localities uplifted remain unfulfilled. We have organised this common platform with the objective of extracting assurances from the candidates at the end of their interaction so that whoever is elected, translates these assurances into action,” Teisonlia, vice-president of Youthcare, told The Hindu.

He said the interaction was organised to help the voters, particularly the youth, and the theme was “Decide today for a brighter tomorrow, exercise your franchise wisely.” It was also aimed at cutting down expenditure of the candidates as they get an opportunity to interact with the voters.

Pointing to the potholed approach road to the colony, he said that for the past 10 years no work was taken to improve its condition, resulting in the residents facing a harrowing time.

The organisers also arranged a video recording of the entire programme so that in the event of the elected candidate going back on his assurances they could remind him of them, he added. The issues, however, did not confine to mere improvement of roads or other local issues of the town which has about 37,000 voters.

The candidates — Neikiesalie Nikcy Kire of the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) and R. Sopu Angami of the Bharatiya Janata Party turned up and took part in the interaction. The other two candidates, including Congress candidate Z. Obed, who is the sitting MLA, did not turn up.

Dr. Kire said the interaction was helpful for the candidates as well as the voters as it gave an opportunity to the candidates to propagate their campaign points while the voters had a chance to know their candidates.

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