Nagaland will form an all party government called Nagaland United Government (NUG) with the aim to speed up Naga peace process.
Ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the party in Opposition, Naga People’s Front (NPF), along with two independent MLAs, signed an agreement on Monday to form the NUG for achieving inclusive, acceptable and honorable solution to the Naga political issue as committed in their respective party manifestos.
The 60 member-house has 25 NPF, 20 NDPP, 12 BJP and two independent MLAs. One seat fell vacant after a sitting NDPP MLA passed away on July 1.
The terms of the agreement say that the united government will promote the Naga peace talks with a positive approach in the greater interest of achieving peace. It promises to move towards finding a political solution at the earliest time possible; to urge all the Naga political groups to make serious efforts to unite and reconcile; that the political parties shall ensure unity of its members in the legislative assembly on the issue and make all possible endeavours to achieve the objective.
The agreement also states that the political parties shall impress upon the Central government and all the negotiating groups to bring about a solution at the earliest. The agreement was signed by the presidents of all political parties.
“The Naga political issue... has been pending for decades, and to achieve a peaceful amicable solution, the parties to this resolution which constitutes all the members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly, have resolved to stand united for the said purpose. Thus, in light of the ongoing peace talks, all the political parties to this resolution have endorsed the concept of united government so as to facilitate the Naga political issue to achieve an honourable and acceptable solution,” the agreement said.
{{/usCountry}}“The Naga political issue... has been pending for decades, and to achieve a peaceful amicable solution, the parties to this resolution which constitutes all the members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly, have resolved to stand united for the said purpose. Thus, in light of the ongoing peace talks, all the political parties to this resolution have endorsed the concept of united government so as to facilitate the Naga political issue to achieve an honourable and acceptable solution,” the agreement said.
{{/usCountry}}While the NPF earlier announced that it will join the government without any pre-conditions, people in the know of the developments said a minor reshuffle was likely to induct a couple of senior NPF MLAs including former leader of Opposition and former chief minister TR Zeliang.
In 2015, eight Congress MLAs had merged with the then ruling NPF to form the first all party government in the state. In the same year, the Centre signed the “framework agreement” with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) after 18 years of truce between them.
While the substantive issues were resolved, the NSCN (IM) has remained firm on its demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution, which is said to be the main reason for the delay in inking a final deal for a settlement on the protracted Naga dispute.