Nagaland CM eyes future polls in Arunachal, Assam

KOHIMA: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio has announced that Naga People's Front (NPF) will contest in the 2014 state elections in Arunachal Pradesh the 2016 polls in Assam. The party fielded its candidates in 12 constituencies of Manipur in the recent election - the results of which are scheduled to be declared on Tuesday - and it is confident of making its debut in the state assembly.
Speaking to a huge gathering on Friday at the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Government High School in Botsa - which is in his home constituency - Rio said the Nagas are scattered across two countries (India & Myanmar) and have been divided by four state boundaries of Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. He said NPF is making all efforts to unite the Naga people and that was his purpose of contesting the Manipur polls. He added that his party's next step in that direction would be contesting future elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Rio added said that both the government in the Centre and in the neighbouring Myanmar has recognized the identity Nagas. He said Myanmar had elected six Naga MPs in the 2010 general election - one Naga is even in the Cabinet -and had even given autonomous status to the Naga Administrative Zone with its headquarters in the town of Lahe.
Pegging the Naga population in the two countries a 50 lakh (40 lakh in India and 10 lakh in Myanmar). Rio added that the people are spread across four states with 20 lakh Nagas in Nagaland, over 10 lakh in Manipur, 5-6 lakh in Arunachal Pradesh and the rest in Assam.
He said: "Nagas may be divided by international and state borders, but we all part of one single family. We are united in politics, culture and business."
Rio also reiterated that the Naga political issue needs to be resolved soon and called on his people to unite for this cause and get rid of the violence plaguing the state.
He said it was unfortunate that undergrounds groups were still divided and fratricidal killing continues. He, however, expressed satisfaction with the NGOs working to bring unity and peace among them.