Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday claimed that the Congress used Northeast as an ATM, while the BJP considers the eight states of the region as 'Ashtalakshmi' (eight forms of Goddess Lakshmi) and is working for its peace and development.

Addressing an election rally at Chumoukedima near Dimapur, he said the NDA is striving to bring permanent peace in Nagaland so that Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 is completely lifted from the state.

"The country can't be run by distrusting your own people but by respecting and solving their problems. Earlier, Northeast had politics of divide, but we have now transformed it into divine governance. The BJP does not discriminate people on the basis of religion or region and religion," Modi said.

Noting that there was political instability in Nagaland during the Congress rule, he claimed that the grand old party remote-controlled Northeast from Delhi, and siphoned off money meant for its development, while giving primacy to "dynasty politics, from Delhi to Dimapur".

"The Congress and its partners' policy for Northeast has been to 'get vote and forget'. Congress leaders from Delhi turned a blind eye to the problems of Nagaland. Ten years ago, nobody would have dreamt that circumstances can change in the region," he said.

Modi claimed the BJP has put a big dent in corruption by employing technology, as a result of which money sent from Delhi is directly credited to beneficiaries' bank accounts.

The PM asserted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has adopted three mantras for running Nagaland -- peace, progress and prosperity.

"The focus of every central government scheme has been women, tribals and the poor. The BJP also gave Nagaland its first woman Rajya Sabha MP," he said.

Noting that there has been a 75 per cent reduction in incidents of violence in Nagaland, he asserted that many youths have returned to the mainstream.

"We have worked for infrastructural development of Northeast. The change is evident. We will support the youth in sectors ranging from tourism to technology, and sports to start-ups," he added. PTI NBS RMS ACD ACD

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