Want solution, not election: Seven Nagaland outfits

GUWAHATI: Seven outfits of Nagaland in peace talks under the umbrella Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) on Thursday stated that they want solution and not election.
The Centre has signed a preliminary agreement "Agreed Position" with the NNPGs in 2017, two years after the Centre's separate "Framework Agreement" with NSCN (IM) was signed in the presence of PM Narendra Modi. The two sides are still waiting for signing the final agreement with the Centre.
The NNPGs, in a statement, said the BJP government at the Centre is trying its best to find permanent peace in Nagaland through a negotiated political settlement with Naga political groups but expressed displeasure with the state BJP leadership.
"In 1998, the Congress went against the wishes of the Naga people by going ahead with election instead of solution. They assumed power uncontested. They failed to honour the people's demand and rather believed they had wiped out all other regional political parties in Nagaland," the statement read.
They said "if election was enforced in Nagaland against the people's demand for an honorable and acceptable negotiated political settlement," activities of the state BJP leadership "will most certainly ensure a wipe out of BJP from Nagaland."
"We are left with no other option but to go by the desire and aspiration of the Naga People, "Solution not Election". The 1998 congress debacle and subsequent punishment is similarly staring at Nagaland BJP in the face," the NNPGs stated.