The Nagaland unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is packing bags to move to the national capital to meet central leaders of the party and apprise them of the request of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) on the ensuing State Assembly election.
State BJP president Visasolie Lhoungu, in a letter to the working committee of NNPGs, informed that having considered their (NNPGs) ‘request’ the state unit of the party at a meeting in Dimapur on Wednesday thoroughly deliberated on it and resolved to abide by the central leaders’ directive and accepted their invitation to Delhi to apprise them of the matter in the first instance. The letter, however, did not mention about the request made by the NNPGs to the state BJP.
The letter said the meeting was held in pursuance of the NNPGs’ desire as conveyed to the state unit of the party at a meeting with six members of the party in Dimapur on January 30.
“The house resolved to convey to you all that BJP as always stood and work for solution of the Naga political issue in accordance with and in response to the people’s hope and aspirations,” the letter stated.
The party also enclosed a copy of the attendance sheet of the party meeting with the letter.
The working committee of NNPGs earlier on Tuesday warned that any intending candidate who goes against the wishes of the people and files nomination will be held accountable and branded as ‘anti-Naga and a traitor’.
Notably, the state unit of the BJP on Tuesday backed out of a joint declaration signed on Monday by 11 parties, national and regional, in the State to boycott the ensuing Assembly election responding to the call of Naga civil society groups for ‘Solution before Election’.
The party also suspended two of its leaders for signing the declaration.
Earlier on Tuesday, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju said in New Delhi that elections are a constitutional process and the Central Government is bound by the Constitution.
Rijiju is also BJP’s election in-charge for Nagaland.
The Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations (CCNTHCO) has also asked the state BJP to clarify its position with regard to the joint declaration.