20 Nagaland MLAs defy boycott call, to contest upcoming polls
HY News
24 January, 2023 12:24 pm IST
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In the upcoming Nagaland state elections, the 20 legislators from the state’s eastern districts have resolved to participate in the electoral process against the backdrop of a poll boycott call given by tribal bodies and the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO).
Following an emergency meeting by the Eastern Nagaland Legislator’s Union on the ENPO’s decision to abstain from the assembly elections, the 20 MLAs from constituencies in the eastern districts resolved to participate in the elections “since the Election has been notified by the ECI on the 18th of January 2023.”
In August 2022, the influential ENPO passed a resolution to abstain from participating in the 2023 assembly polls unless the demand for the formation of a separate state — comprising the six eastern Nagaland districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang — is met. These districts account for 20 of the 60 seats in the assembly and are primarily inhabited by members of seven tribes: Konyak, Khiamniungan, Chang, Sangtam, Tikhir, Phom, and Yimkhiung.
Since the notification of the election schedule was released on January 28, several tribal bodies — Konyak Union, Chang Khulei Setshang, Tikhir Tribal Council, Yimkhiung Tribal Council, Khiamniungan Tribal Council, Phom Peoples’ Council, and United Sangtam Likhüm Pümji — have resolved to abstain from the elections in support of the ENPO’s August resolution. In the case of most, this resolution also comes with a decision to not allow political campaigns in their territories and disallow members of their community to file nominations.
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