Dimapur: The Nagaland legislators' forum on Saturday resolved to send a delegation to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders and submit a memorandum, seeking a solution of the Naga political issue before the Assembly polls.
The meeting of the forum, chaired by Speaker Imtiwapng Aier, decided that an all-party meeting should be convened by chief minister T.R. Zeliang at the earliest to discuss the issue so that a settlement is reached before the elections to prevent "shift of focus".
The forum said it was the the right time to finalise a solution that is inclusive since six Naga national political groups (NNPG) are involved in the peace talks besides the NSCN (Isak-Muivah).
It also endorsed the points made in the memorandum submitted by the parliamentary working committee of the forum on the Naga political issue to the Prime Minister on July 16, 2015. The forum appreciated the leadership of Modi for the significant progress made in the Naga peace talks.
A 15-member delegation of the working committee of six NNPGs will return from New Delhi on Sunday after holding discussions with the Centre's interlocutor R.N. Ravi. They will visit New Delhi again in the first week of December for more talks.
The fourth round of the ongoing talks led to the signing of an agreement on Friday that recognises the political and historical rights of the Nagas to self-determine their future, sources said. Both sides have agreed to work out a relationship that is honourable, inclusive and enduring for "peaceful coexistence", they said.
Ten NPF legislators of the Shürhozelie Liezietsu camp, on Friday declined to attend the meeting saying they had reservations about Aier's position as chairman of the forum since he "cannot uphold the Constitution or Assembly rules".
BJP minder visit
BJP national general secretary (organisation) Ram Lal, who is on a three-day visit to Nagaland, said on Saturday that the party's top priority was to deliver development to all people, irrespective of community or religion. He will interact with different cells and department convener and co-conveners in the state to gauge the overall activities of the party for the 2018 Assembly polls during his visit.
