Dimapur, Mar 30: The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), demanding a separate administration or Frontier Nagaland comprising six districts of Nagaland, remained adamant to its decision not to take part in the elections to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland until its demand is fulfilled by the Centre.

After holding a marathon close door coordination meeting with 20 MLAs and various other organisations in Tuensang on Thursday, the ENPO leaders once again on Friday announced to boycott the April 19 parliamentary elections in the State.

The MLAs from Eastern Nagaland represents various assembly constituencies, Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang districts. The lone Rajya Sabha MP from Nagaland S. Phangnon Konyak also participated in the meeting.

The ‘public emergency’ began on March 8, 2024 in the eastern part of Nagaland. “We have decided to not participate in the Lok Sabha polls”, said ENPO president R. Tsapikiu Sangtam.

ENPO is the apex body of seven Naga tribes and its frontal organisation is not allowing election campaign in the six districts of Eastern Nagaland. Last year, they had boycotted assembly elections but later withdrew it following an assurance from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The union home ministry had formed a three member committee last year to study their demand. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had said recently that the State government has recommended an autonomous region to be setup in Eastern Nagaland.

Demand for Eastern Nagaland

The apex body claims that Eastern Nagaland has remained neglected and ignored by successive governments. They say that their region or their leaders have never been part of the top tiers in governance. The eastern Nagaland region has 20 assembly seats, but only few eastern leaders get elected to those seats in the past. In last assembly election, a sizable leaders got elected from the eastern region. They have been negotiating with the central leadership but their demands are yet to be made. The people in eastern region feels discriminated and alienated.

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