Former Nagaland Home minister and Naga People’s Front (NPF) spokesperson Imkong L Imchen hopes that some “groundbreaking breakthrough” would be made by the formation of the opposition-less government.
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Special Correspondent
Former Nagaland Home minister, MLA and Naga People’s Front (NPF) spokesperson Imkong L Imchen has said that the formation of opposition-less Nagaland United Government (NUG) and the opposition (NPF) agreeing in principle to be part of it along with two independent legislators was aimed at facilitating solutions to the protracted Naga political issue.
In a recent interview with a local news channel, Imkong had informed that a solution for Naga political issue was most important and the NUG was hopeful in making a “breakthrough” through the formation of the opposition-less government.
He said that today, in the context of Nagaland vis-à-vis the existing political issue, the party thought that setting aside its political differences, and focusing on the Naga political issue which has a wide range of dimensions, affecting all the dimensions of Naga lives, bringing a solution to the Naga political issue was primary to all other issues.
He hoped that some “groundbreaking breakthrough” would be made by the formation of the opposition-less government.
On BJP’s participation in the Naga political talk, Imkong reminded that during the last 2018 Nagaland general election, the BJP had backed out from the resolution to be tabled by all the political parties -“Solution not Election” and later when the NPF contested the election, the BJP general secretary (northeast in-charge), had suddenly declared “Election for Solution” which was welcomed. Therefore, Imkong said that there is no reason why the BJP should not participate in “full swing” as it was their old commitment.
Imkong also said that he appreciates and salute the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as from the year 2015 since he signed the “Framework Agreement” till today he has not changed his position and for remaining very firm that Naga political solution should be arrived at the earliest for which he entrusted Home Minister, Amit Shah, to execute necessary things and thereby asking Neiphiu Rio, TR Zeliang, and Y Patton, in Delhi to work together in order to find a solution to the Naga political problems.
Imkong disclosed that accordingly, on the direction of Home Minister, the opposition-less government emerged for the Naga political issue and therefore, there is no reason why the BJP should not participate as the direction was given from their own party high command.
“They may be BJP, I may be NPF but we are all Nagas. We love the Naga issue therefore, I find no difficulty to understand on the part of the BJP on Naga talk to be as an active facilitator so that the stalemate between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India is facilitated and the talk resume,” said Imkong.
He also shared about how new developments would unfold with AK Mishra being appointed as new governor of Nagaland and also the new interlocutor tackling the protracted Naga political issue.
On the recent NITI Aayog index showing Nagaland as “worst-performing state”, Imkong said that he came across it on social media but doesn’t want to comment or give an unauthentic statement on how far the NITI Aayog index is authentic and whether the outcome was politically motivated. He said that though the state is lacking in many progressive developmental aspects hoped that things would “smoothen up” in days ahead.