Nagaland Group Decides To Boycott Lok Sabha Polls Over Separate State

The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), demanding a separate administration or state comprising six districts of Nagaland, remained adamant to its decision not to take part in the elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland until its demand is fulfilled by the Centre.

After holding a marathon close door coordination meeting with 20 MLAs and various other organisations in Tuensang on Thursday, the ENPO leaders once again on Friday announced to boycott the April 19 parliamentary elections in the state.

The Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union comprising 20 MLAs earlier requested the ENPO to reconsider its decision.

The ‘public emergency’, which began on March 8 in the eastern part of Nagaland, would continue.

During the “public emergency”, the ENPO, the apex body of seven Naga tribes of the region, and its frontal organisations are not allowing any election campaign.

The ENPO, the top Naga body in the six districts, and its associated organisations, in support of its separate state demand, gave a call to boycott last year’s Assembly polls (February 27) but later withdrew it following an assurance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Union Home Ministry, responding to the ENPO’s demand, last year formed a three-member committee, headed by Adviser, Northeast, A.K. Mishra to study their demand, and the panel visited Nagaland several times and talked with all sides.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio recently said that the state government has already recommended, to the Centre, that an autonomous region be set up for the people belonging to the eastern region.