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Lalu woos Nagaland voters on maiden visit

Special Correspondent

The Minister showcases projects for expansion of railway network in Nagaland, northeast region

Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad with Naga women at an election rally in Dimapur on Thursday. —

Dimapur: Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad on Thursday showcased various projects for the expansion of railway network in Nagaland and the northeast region, which he had already included in the railway budget presented on Tuesday, to woo the voters of the State and urged them to vote for Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) candidates in the March 5 assembly polls.

It was Mr Prasad’s maiden visit to Nagaland and the RJD’s maiden entry into Nagaland’s electoral politics. Business activities in this commercial capital of Nagaland had virtually come to a standstill as an euphoric crowd waited for more than two hours at the Dimapur District Sports Complex ground to have a glimpse of Mr Prasad and listen to his election speech in support of 25 candidates put up by the RJD.

Amid applause by the crowd, the Railway Minister said an amount of Rs 10 crore has been allocated in this year’s railway budget for laying of the proposed 88 km long new railway track from Dimapur to Kohima that was already announced in last year’s railway budget.

The project has also been declared as a national project and the construction would begin shortly, he said.

He said though he could not make new announcements in view of the model code of conduct for the assembly polls, he would try to address every problem pertaining to Nagaland and the region that was brought to his notice.

Crucial role

He claimed that the RJD would play a crucial role in government formation in Nagaland and added that the days of a single party rule was over in the country. Mr Yadav was cheered by porters of the Dimapur railway station, who were present in large numbers at the meeting.

Dwelling on the age-old unity of migrant workers from Bihar and the people of Nagaland, the RJD supremo said that such relations would go long way in ushering development in the State.

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