Nagaland: ENPO reaffirms boycott of Lok Sabha polls until demand for separate state is met

Kohima: The ENPO has stuck to its decision not to take part in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections until its demand for a separate state carved out of Nagaland is fulfilled by the Centre, its leaders said on Friday.

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) held a closed-door meeting with 20 MLAs of the region and the lone Rajya Sabha member of Nagaland, who also hails from there, at Tuensang on Thursday.

"We have decided to stand firm to abstain from the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and also not to allow any campaign within our jurisdiction till the demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory is fulfilled by the Centre," ENPO vice president W Bendang Chang told PTI over the phone.

Eastern Nagaland Legislators Union (ENLU) official C L John confirmed that all the 20 legislators of the area and the Rajya Sabha MP attended Thursday’s meeting that continued till 7 pm.

“During the meeting, we appealed to the ENPO and tribal bodies to revoke their decision but it did not materialise. They concluded that the final decision would be taken only after consultation with people,” John told PTI.

Asked if the ENLU had received any assurance on the demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory from the Centre during their recent visit to Delhi, he said there was "no assurance" but "we have asked the state government to submit its view".

John said ENLU will meet with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on the matter at the earliest.

ENPO president R Taspikiu Sangtam said the "public emergency", which was declared on March 5, would continue and the decision on the next course of action to press their demand would be taken after consultation with the public.

During the "public emergency", the ENPO, the apex body of seven Naga tribes of the region, and its frontal organisations have not been allowing any political campaign.

The ENPO has been demanding a separate state since 2010, claiming that the six districts in the eastern part of Nagaland have been neglected in all aspects for years.