Naga Hoho asks people to disallow holding of assembly election in Nagaland

GUWAHATI: With union home ministry stating that polls to Nagaland assembly will be held as per schedule, Naga Hoho the apex tribal body of nagas has call for boycott of assembly election due in march.

There is growing demand in Nagaland for solution to several decade old naga problem before election.

Working Committee of the Naga National political groups( NNPGs ) stated that election to Nagaland Legislative Assembly would have “serious ramifications” on the ongoing peace process and so appealed to the Government of India to appreciate the sentiments of the people.


The group expressed the hope the government of India would act “positively” for paving a way and create conducive atmosphere for smooth negotiation process so as to arrive at an honourable and acceptable solution to the long-drawn “Indo-Naga” political problem.

The Working Group also warned that holding elections when political negotiation was at an advanced stage, would negatively impact pursuit of early solution.

The group said this was an unprecedented show of unity of purpose by Nagas and clearly an extraordinary situation which the Election Commission of India “must take note”.

The NNPGs also called upon all intending candidates in Nagaland, irrespective of their party affiliations, to respond to the demands by standing by people’s commitment.
WC said in the event the ECI insisted on holding election despite strident calls for deferment in Nagaland, the people would respond in an appropriate manner.

Naga Hoho has urged the Government of India not to ignore appeals from Naga civil society groups and tribe hohos and the wishes of the Naga people “for political solution and not election.”

Naga Hoho assembly secretary, K Elu Ndang, and general secretary, Mutsikhoyo Yhobu, said the hoho had been repeatedly seeking the attention of the government of India to sincerely consider the general wishes of the Naga people and initiate meaningful dialogue with all the stakeholders for lasting solution of Indo-Naga political problem at the earliest and defer the scheduled election.
The signatories said that Naga Hoho also requested the Prime Minister of India, the President of India, Interlocutor and the Election Commission of India to bring early solution instead of holding election.

Hoho has appealed to the Naga people from different walks of life to gear up and defend their inherent rights and disallow holding of election in their land.

The hoho underlined that the government of India should understand that Nagas were extending helping hands for solving the decades old Indo-Naga political problem and not asking for favour.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has stated that the assembly elections in Nagaland, due in March this year, will be held as scheduled.
Singh recently tweeted: “HM also told the Nagaland Chief Minister that announcing the dates for assembly elections is the prerogative of the Election Commission and the elections have to be held on schedule. Any reports to the contrary are incorrect.”

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has published the revised electoral roll.

Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang recently met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and told him that various civil society organisations and church leaders in Nagaland have expressed their desire for a “solution before election”.

Zeliang pointed out that the government of India was engaged with different Naga political groups –– NSCN (I-M) and Working Committee of Six Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) –– for an early solution and the Naga people wanted this to be solved before the election.

The chief minister has submitted the resolution adopted by the Nagaland Legislators Forum and parliamentarians and ex-parliamentarians on December 7, 2017, along with a copy of Nagaland Legislative Assembly resolution.