Nagaland minister Imkong L Imchen asks govt to put Assembly polls on hold, focus on political crisis

Kohima: Nagaland minister Imkong L Imchen on Sunday called for putting on hold the Assembly election due next year and focus on the Naga political issue. It is time for all the Naga people to sink their differences and contribute their best so that a settlement could be brought about, he said. “If the central government is sincere, it should not allow holding the state election but focus on finding solution to the vexed Naga political issue,” the health and family welfare minister told a press conference. [caption id=“attachment_3269580” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. AFP[/caption] On 18 September, state governor PB Acharya had said he was confident that the peace process had come to a conclusion and he hoped that solution to the Naga political problem would come within the next one-two months. Imchen said the Assembly polls should not be held as per schedule and the state should come under president’s rule in place of a newly-elected government. The tenure of the Nagaland Assembly expires on 13 March next year. Peace talks could reach a concluding stage because of the sincerity of the negotiating parties and support from various quarters, Imchen claimed. He also appreciated the engagement of Naga underground factions besides the NSCN(IM) in the negotiation process. The Centre and the NSCN(IM) had concluded a dialogue on the six-decade-old Naga political problem and signed a framework agreement in August 2015 in the presence of prime minister Narendra Modi. The Naga People’s Convention had negotiated the 16-point agreement with government of India in 1960 along with Article 371A of the Constitution, he said. Article 371A deals with special provisions with respect to the state of Nagaland. Since the 16-Point Agreement and Article 371(A) of the Constitution were signed by politicians, it should be interpreted only by politicians and not by courts, he said.