Civil society & parties with Polls date; as no solution for Naga yet

KOHIMA: Civil society organizations and a section of political parties in the north-eastern state expressed dismay as the date for the assembly elections for Nagaland was announced with no solution in sight to the long-standing Naga political issue.

During the campaign for the 2018 assembly elections, the BJP had raised the slogan of election for solutions. Several parties in the state have recently reminded the saffron party of this.
While senior leaders of both the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which has the largest number of MLAs in an all-party government in Nagaland, and the BJP could not be reached for comment, the Congress and the NPF He said that he will contest the election despite being unhappy.

Civil society organizations said that the Center should show its sincerity in resolving the Naga political issue.
The Election Commission announced in New Delhi on Wednesday that the assembly elections in the state will be held on February 27 and counting of votes will take place on March 2.

The Naga People’s Front (NPF), which has four MLAs in the outgoing assembly, said the party’s top priority was an honorable solution to the Naga political issue.
“We will contest the election with our manifesto on good and corruption-free governance while working for a dignified and acceptable solution to the Naga political problem,” NPF Secretary-General Achumbemo Kikon said.
The Congress said the Election Commission could have postponed the elections in Nagaland but announced the polls which “betrayed the aspirations of the people”.

State Congress president K Therie said the party was not happy with the election announcement.
Efforts to get comments from the two major political parties – the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP – went futile as their spokespersons did not respond to calls and messages.

In the 60-member assembly, the NDPP has 41, the BJP 12, and the NPF four. There are two independent candidates while one seat is vacant.

Civil society organizations urged the Center to take steps to find a solution to the problem.
Nagaland People’s Action Committee (NPAC) Convenor on Naga Political Issue Theja Therieh told PTI that despite the announcement of the election date, the central government still has the power to take a decision on the Naga settlement. Because the notification has not been released yet. .

“The Government of India has to prove its sincerity to respect the rights and history of the Nagas,” said Rosemary Dzuvichu, adviser to the Naga Mothers’ Association.
He said a lot depends on political will and the next few weeks will indicate whether the central government wants peace for the Nagas.

“The slogan, choice for solution, has become a rhetoric. They have forgotten to listen to the voice of the people,” said Naga Hoho (organisation) general secretary K Elu Ndang.

The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, comprising seven tribes from six eastern districts, had earlier announced not to participate in the polls to pressure the government to meet the demand for a separate ‘frontier Nagaland’ state.
Even its leaders could not be contacted.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio told reporters on Tuesday that his government does not want to create a constitutional crisis and does not want to allow President’s Rule to be imposed in the state.

He was responding to a question as to what would happen if the civil society organizations persisted in their stance of not participating in the elections until there was a solution to the Naga political issue.
To find a solution to the decades-old issue, the Center has been holding separate talks with the NSCN-IM since 1997 and the working committee of the Naga National Political Group (NNPG) since 2017, comprising at least seven groups.

It signed a framework agreement with the NSCN-IM in 2015 and agreed to a position with the NNPGs in 2017.