WC-NNPG flays BJP-NDPP alliance declaration for 2023 Nagaland Assembly polls

Dimapur, July 29 (EMN): The Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPG) has expressed dismay over the joint statement of BJP and NDPP to continue its pre-poll alliance in the upcoming state Assembly election, saying that it has “come as a tight slap to the Naga people”.

In a statement issued on Friday, the group said the four-point resolution adopted by 59 Nagaland legislators during the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue meeting held on July 16, had earned appreciation from the stakeholders.

However, it said the joint statement of NDPP and BJP appended by Nagaland BJP in-charge Nalin Kohli and NDPP Secretary General Abu Metha about alliance in the 2023 polls, 10 days after appealing to the prime minister of India to ink an inclusive and honorable Indo-Naga political agreement, had betrayed the integrity of all 60 legislators and United Democratic Alliance partners.

Accusing the NDPP Secretary General of having more desire in the elections than the Indo-Naga political solution and attempting to redirect common people’s and legislators’ energy towards electoral politics, the WC-NNPG said he owes an explanation to the Naga people.

While taking a soft stand on Nagaland BJP in-charge’s role, saying that it is a different matter, the group asked why the secretary general didn’t take the adopted resolutions to New Delhi and demand the GoI to respect it, instead of signing a 40-20 election strategy.

The group went on to say that the secretary general should ask himself ‘if he is playing with fire’.

“From Jan.10, 1929 submission of Naga memorandum to British statutory Commission to the present, Naga political struggle has had many traitors and saboteurs. Anti-Naga deeds or documents are recorded and preserved. Many have paid dearly with their lives. This is a crucial period in Naga history,” read the press release from WC-NNPG.

It went on to say that it had completed negotiations with the GoI “in partnership with Naga tribes, hereditary institutions, the church and apex civil societies”.