Nagaland Cabinet, legislators appeal to ENPO not to abstain from LS polls

Kohima: The Nagaland Cabinet and legislators of the eastern region of the state appealed to the ENPO to take part in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

The Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) has stuck to its decision not to participate in the Lok Sabha polls until its demand for a separate state carved out of Nagaland is fulfilled by the Centre.

The ENPO, the apex body of seven Naga tribes of the region, has been demanding a separate state since 2010, claiming that six districts in the eastern part of Nagaland have been neglected for years.

The appeal comes after a meeting of the council of ministers and the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) held in Kohima on Saturday.

During the meeting, the ENLU members apprised the Cabinet of their recent visit to Delhi and discussions with the ENPO functionaries on Thursday in Tuensang, an official release said.

The Cabinet and ENLU members, after thorough deliberations, unanimously decided to appeal to the ENPO not to abstain from the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, it said.

Polls to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland will be held on April 19.

They also urged the Eastern Nagaland organisation to participate in the elections for the greater benefit of the region and its constituents.

The state Cabinet and the ENLU members earnestly appealed to the ENPO and its constituents to prioritise the 'democratic principles and ensure the widest possible participation in the upcoming national elections in order to pave the way for a brighter and more inclusive future for eastern Nagaland'.