Boycotting Assembly polls Naga political parties call on for “Solution before Election” over Naga Peace deal

Kohima, January 30: All political parties in Nagaland including ruling Naga People's Front, Bhartiya Janata Party BJP and Congress decided not to contest Assembly elections next month demanding Naga’s political problem to be resolved first. The insurgent group National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), the political parties of Nagaland have decided to boycott the February 27th Assembly elections. Since Naga’s problems haven’t been taken up yet since 2015 after signing the agreement, political parties have taken this stand to not contest elections. 

An all-party meeting in Dimapur took the decision to ‘come together with the call “Solution Before Election”. It also decided to defer the 13th Nagaland Assembly elections and allow the Naga political process to reach its logical conclusion by giving space and time. Altogether, 79 members were present at the meeting, including representatives from political parties, NSCN (I-M), Tribal Hohos and civil society groups. 

Also political parties will not issue the list of candidates either. If the election notification gets published even after this, they will call for a bandh on February 1 in the entire state.

All the 11 political parties, along with Core Committee of tribal hohos, were present in a meeting at Hotel Japhu in Dimapur. It was the third round of meeting. The first meeting took place on 25th January. The second was held yesterday with NSCN(I-M) and NNPG working committee.The other groups supporting the poll boycott are: NSCN (Unification), National National Council (NNC/FGN), NNC (Parent Body), NPGN/NNC (NA), NSCN (R) and NNC/GDRN (NA).

The call for shunning the polls was first made by NSCN(I-M) on 23rd January. The NSCM(I-M) went on to say: “The decision taken by the GoI/Election Commission of India to hold election is bound to undermine the progress of the ongoing talks between the NSCN and the GoI and become a serious obstacle towards finding an early political solution.”