Refrain from contesting Nagaland polls, say three Naga groups

Three Naga civil society groups on Tuesday urged political parties and those planning to contest as independents to refrain from contesting the February 27 elections to the 60-member Nagaland Assembly.

Naga Hoho, Naga Mother's Association, and Naga Students Federation reiterated their stand for a solution to the seven-decade-old Naga insurgency problem ahead of the elections, at a public rally here.

The separatist National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) had signed the Framework Agreement to end the insurgency on August 2015 with the Indian government.

"The declaration of Assembly elections is being designed to hijack the very purpose of solution which was much-anticipated by the Nagas," NSF chief Kesosul Christopher Ltu said.

Naga Mothers' Association exhorted all political parties and probable independent candidates not to file nominations to demonstrate that Nagas are serious about a resolution to their grievances.

Meanwhile, the NSCN-IM statement said those who support "imposed elections" do not stand for the interests of the Naga people.

It claimed that the decision to hold elections is bound to undermine the progress of the ongoing talks between it and the Indian government.

--IANS

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