DNA EXCLUSIVE: Thuingaleng Muivah pushed for Naga poll boycott from Delhi

Top Naga insurgent leader Thuingaleng Muivah — part of peace talks with the Centre — had met politicians at his Delhi safe house last month and requested them to back calls to boycott Tuesday's Assembly elections in the conflict-hit state, DNA has learnt.

The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (IM) chief met leaders from various parties from the tribal-dominated state, but they told him they cannot risk not filing nominations.

There was no guarantee that rivals will also follow suit, they told him at meetings held at Muivah's residence provided by the government.

The Centre started holding peace talks with NSCN (IM) after the militant outfit became part of a ceasefire agreement in 1997. The Narendra Modi government signed a framework agreement with it in 2015 for an early end to India's oldest insurgency in the remote northeastern state.

"Our stand was that there should not be a situation where some party goes ahead on the last day of nominations and wins unopposed," Chingwang Konyak, president of newly formed National Democratic People' s Party (NDPP) told DNA. The BJP has broken up its 15-year-old alliance with the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) and tied up with NDPP.

There was uncertainty whether the Christian-dominated state — also hit by inter-ethnic conflict — will meet the election date deadline with insurgent groups triggering a 'Solution before Election' call. This was echoed by several civil society groups and even politicians, but nominations finally happened.

A similar situation had risen in 1998 when the Congress did not join calls to boycott the election in the mountainous state, as it was in power at the Centre, resulting in many of its candidate winning unopposed.

"Nobody was in a position to take the risk and did not want a repeat of 1998," said Khekiye Sema, Congress candidate from Ghaspani-II near Nagaland's capital Dimapur.

Isak died last year, leaving a vacuum in NSCN's leadership. Muivah is also ageing and has made Delhi his home.

NSCN (IM) has been demanding integration of Naga-inhabited areas in Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. Very little is known about the framework agreement.

Now there are seven other groups that are part of talks with former IPS officer RN Ravi, appointed interlocutor by the Centre to sign a peace accord.

Meghalaya will also go to the polls on February 27. Polling in Tripura has already taken place on February 18. Results for all three states will be announced on March 3.

Despite NSCN (IM) wanting a permanent solution before the election, it has not triggered any disturbance so far. While there are inputs another NSCN faction, led by SS Khaplang, which abrogated ceasefire in 2015 by killing Army troops, can carry out attacks, there has been no untoward incident till now.

All three states have only 60 seats each, but the outcome will have considerable political significance as the BJP is pushing hard to add to its recent victories over the Congress in India's tribal-dominated North East.

DESIGN FAILS

• Leaders told Muivah at Delhi safehouse that they cannot risk not filing nominations.
   
• They said there was no surety that their political foes will follow suit.