DIMAPUR: One of Nagaland's tallest politicians and chief ministerial candidate of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party ( NDPP )-BJP alliance said BJP is not a religious party and the church has only expressed its apprehensions about spread of Hindutva into the Christian-majority state.Speaking to TOI in the middle of his hectic electioneering schedule on Thursday, Rio said that the newly formed partnership is right on course to win the battle and added that one of the first job of the new government would be to bring out all charges of corruption against the present government.The 67-year-old Angami Naga leader said, “BJP is not a religious party. It is a party with only development on its agenda. Our partnership is quite confident that we on our own will get absolute majority.”Rio has already been declared a winner after all his rivals pulled out from the Northern Angami-II seat, which he has been representing since he made his electoral debut in 1989. His early victory has put the alliance one up against the principle rivals Naga People’s Front.Like any other devout Christian, Rio holds the church in high respect and does not find anything wrong with the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) issuing an open letter speaking out against the Hindutva forces making invasion in Nagaland“Church has only expressed its apprehensions. The church is worried because Nagaland is a Christian-majority state and so it has the right to caution the members of the society,” he said.When asked whether voters would follow the church’s command or go the opposite way, Rio said that the people should not worry about their religion and identity. “We are here and we have a partnership with BJP, not to join BJP but protect the Naga identity and also to protect Christianity. There will be no compromise with our religion, which is protected in the Constitution of India,” Rio said. He added, “The church’s complaint about Hindutva is a different matter altogether.”He said that NDPP-BJP manifesto would be out in a day or two and one of the promises would be an anti-corruption drive. “We will check all activities of corruption. The NIA has summoned three officials of the chief minister’s office (TR Zeliang’s office) for allegedly siphoning off government funds to terrorist organizations. The writings on the wall are clear.”“We promise to bring a change for the better. We will provide a stable government and good governance,” he added.Rio has been Nagaland’s chief minister from 2003 to 2014, the only chief minister in the state to have served three consecutive terms, during the 15 years of NPF’s rule. He is currently the lone MP from the state, which he won in 2014 after stepping down from the CM’s post as the NPF candidate. He switched over to NDPP last month.At the heart of his walk-out from NPF, the party that he had built was the decision of the party’s leadership to name his successor in 2014 and present CM TR Zeliang as the chief ministerial candidate.“There are so many things about NPF leadership…how they betrayed, how they told lies openly. I left the party because they decided TR (TR Zeliang) would be their leader and the party’s face in 2018 election. I have built the party. I have nothing against the party. I have come out against the party leadership. The people are giving me support and I trust my people. Everything will be alright,” he said.Rio said that even BJP does not trust NPF any longer. “We have been in alliance for last 15 years in NPF under my leadership. Now they (BJP) don’t trust the present government. BJP has chosen me to lead the alliance because they have confidence in me. They have respect for the Nagas and they have respect for the religion.”He snubbed Zeliang, who said on Wednesday that the NPF’s partnership with BJP was still alive saying, "I am the only alliance of BJP and its official."

Stay updated with all the Latest Guwahati headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.