ENPO withdraw poll abstention

February 5, 2023 23 Views No Comment

Dimapur, February 5 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has decided to withdraw its assembly election boycott call as the Union Home Minister has reportedly assured that a mutually agreed solution would be reached and implemented, post election.

The ENPO, which has been demanding separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state comprising the six districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang, had called for poll boycott to press for their demand. But on Saturday, an executive meeting was held in Dimapur, during which it ‘relaxed the August 26, 2022 resolution with immediate effect.’

According to a press statement from the ENPO, due consultations were held with its constituent tribal bodies and frontal organisations during which the request of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to review the resolution was discussed.

The ENPO said the meeting also discussed the assurance reportedly given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ENPO office bearers on February 2 that “a solution as mutually agreed will be reached after following the due process and will be implemented after completion of the election process.”

It explained that ENPO has taken serious note of the MHA’s request letter dated January 16, 2023 addressed to ENPO President to review the August 26, 2022 resolution of ENPO, its constituent tribal bodies and frontal organisations regarding non-participation in the elections to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls to the Nagaland Assembly in the larger interest of democracy in the country.

“In faith with the Union Home Minister and the MHA, Gol, ENPO relaxes the August 26, 2022 resolution in the interest of fair and peaceful conduct of election in the state,” it added.

ENPO also requested all its citizens to cooperate with the government in the conduct of election and not to create any law and order problem within the jurisdiction.

Amit Shah lauds decision
Meanwhile, taking to Twitter after the decision, the Union Home Minister Amit Shah termed the ENPO’s withdrawal of its resolution to “boycott” the assembly elections as heartening.
The decision will help in keeping the ongoing process of peace and development unhindered, he said.

Shah also lauded the ENPO’s positive gesture of reaffirming commitment to democratic processes.

He further maintained that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made untiring efforts to assure the people of Northeast India that the government is with them.

“The ENPO’s move is an approval of these endeavours,” he added.