New Delhi: The Assembly elections in Manipur have witnessed a clear polarisation between the Manipuris and Nagas following the entry of the United Naga Council in the poll fray and the party is likely to make the integration of Naga-inhabited areas an election issue in the four Naga-dominated districts.
The integration of the Naga-inhabited areas is one of the key demands on which the NSCN(IM) has been holding a long-drawn peace dialogue with the Government of India. Manipur, along with some other north-eastern states, has raised strong objections against any attempt to alter the boundaries of the NE states in order to accommodate the demand of the Naga militant outfit.
During his visit to Manipur last month, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assued the state that there will be no integration of Naga-inhabited areas at the cost of Manipur.
According to reports reaching here, the UNC is likely to field 13 Independent candidates in the Naga-dominated districts. Various Naga organisations -- including the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur; Naga People`s Movement for Human Rights; Naga Women`s Union, Manipur and the presidents of various Naga tribes have become active and joined the political activities in the state as the election process picks up.
Manipur is going to have a four-phase polling from February 8 onwards to elect 60 members for the ninth Assembly.
Few days back the UNC had issued a “position paper”, asking all the Naga political leaders to quit their parties and urged voters to support only Independent candidates who supported the 'Naga cause'.
On Tuesday, the council organised a meeting of all the intending Naga candidates at Senapati and got them to sign an eight-point declaration before joining the poll process. As many as 60 aspiring candidates attended a meeting.
Among various clauses of the declaration, all Naga candidates were made to take a pledge to work for the integration of all Naga-inhabited areas. They also declared that they would back UNC candidates on behalf of the Naga people, support the Naga peace talks and not join any other party without the consent of the Naga people.
Five Naga MLAs, who had recently resigned from their respective national and regional parties, had also attended included the meeting. The Naga MLAs belonging to the Congress party, however, stayed away from the meeting.
Four districts of Manipur -- namely Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong and Chandel -- are Naga-dominated and they comprise 14 of the total 60 seats in the Manipur Assembly. There were 11 Naga MLAs in the last Manipur Assembly.
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