GUWAHATI: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is not too optimistic about an early solution to the protracted “Naga political issue”.
He told journalists the state’s all 60 legislators would contest the Assembly elections, expected in February, if the issue remained unresolved.
“The elected members sat and discussed that nobody should go for election campaign till December as we have come together in support of solution (to the problem). However, if it doesn’t come and the notification for election is issued, then we have to participate in the polls,” Rio said.
He said he had told the Naga insurgent groups negotiating with the Centre not to blame the Naga legislators or misunderstand them if there was no solution to the problem before the elections as they are only the facilitators.
Rio heads a coalition government which has his Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, BJP and Naga People’s Front. The 60 legislators are from these three ruling parties.
The Naga peace talks have already concluded. Separate talks were held with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) and seven other groups which came together under the banner of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs). However, solution continues to elude the Nagas and the government over the NSCN-IM’s “non-negotiable” demand for “Naga national flag” and “Naga constitution”.
The seven groups in the NNPGs are flexible. They said the contentious issues could be pursued post-solution to the problem.
Even as pressure mounts on the Centre for an “inclusive” settlement which will also protect the interests of the Nagas of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, tribal group Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) is spearheading a “people’s movement” demanding the creation of “Frontier Nagaland” state by carving out the six districts of eastern Nagaland.
The ENPO already declared that people from the six districts, which have 20 Assembly seats, would boycott the elections if the statehood demand was not acceded to by the central government.
Last week, a three-member Home Ministry team visited eastern Nagaland to study the demand. Home Minister Amit Shah promised the ENPO earlier this month that he would visit eastern Nagaland in January.