Dimapur: Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang said on Saturday that he would stand by his call for a solution to the Naga political issue before holding state elections.

Elections to the 60-member Assembly is scheduled be held on February 27.

"As the incumbent chief minister of Nagaland, I am more than willing to offer my services in the talks between the government and the NNPGs (Naga national political groups) in whatever possible ways to bring about an honourable and amicable solution to the Naga political issue," he said.

Zeliang said his meeting with BJP national president Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday "had been misunderstood and misinterpreted by a section of the people who questioned my commitment towards finding a solution to the Naga political issue. I would like to tell you all that I still firmly stand by my call for a solution and not election."

The Naga People's Front (NPF) had endorsed the Assembly's resolution passed in December 2017 that urged the Election Commission not to announce state elections until the Centre "arrives at an honourable solution to the Naga political issue".

Zeliang said, "The NPF is in a better position to face the polls and win than any other party in Nagaland. However, our priority is the Naga solution and if that means letting go of the opportunity of forming a democratic government, we are forever ready to make that sacrifice."

Zeliang said every political party is geared up for the elections, including the NPF, after the Election Commission announced the poll dates.

"If all political parties agree not to participate and not file nominations then the NPF will follow suit," he said.

"I have been dubbed anti-India by many leaders for my stand on solution and not election. I firmly believe that solution to the Naga political issue will open the doors for a new and better Nagaland," he said.

On the meeting with Shah, Zeliang said it was a healthy deliberation. "We agreed to select the teams from our respective parties to work out the modalities for seat-sharing. We also agreed to continue the 15-year-old NPF-BJP alliance for growth and development. Our bond and relationship will grow stronger and better in the coming days," he said.

He said the alliance of NPF-BJP along with the other Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) partners, will sweep the polls. "We will again form the government and the instability which rocked the 12th Assembly will be a thing of the past. Development and progress of the state and solution to the Naga political issue will be our priority."