Manipur can have 10 more MLAs in hills to resolve Naga issue: K Therie
Source: Nirendra Dev *

New Delhi, August 22 2022: ".....The NSCN (IM) has already recognized the intricacies of the Indian political system...Now, Manipur has 60 MLAs but hills with 92 per cent of land have 20 legislators and the valley with only 8 percent land has 40 MLAs.

If peace comes this can be changed.

The hilly region can have at least 10 more, that is 30 MLAs in total.

This, I told Muivah, will be a good legacy he can leave behind," Nagaland pradesh Congress chief Kewephape Therie stated here.

He was referring to January 2018 between him and NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah.

On a visit to Delhi for party work, Therie along with Nagaland in-charge Dr Ajoy Kumar, a former cop, blasted the Modi government and the BJP for flip flop on Naga peace talks at a media conference on Aug 18 .

Talking to this journalist, he shared "details" on how things have been "mishandled" both by the Rio government in Kohima and the Government of India.

"At the end of the day, people's wishes are crucial.

If the Naga people of Nagaland state are saying, we want a solution; we must respect that.

The stakeholders must respect that.

I have said this earlier, those who do not live up to people's expectations will one day feel shy of meeting his own people," Therie told this journalist in an interview.

People are desperate for a Solution after all these years.

And the nexus between Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and his 'friends' needs to be snapped, said Nagaland Congress chief K Therie.

"In the BJP-NDPP seat share deal there is a clause, there will not be any 'friendly contest', this is like handcuffs for Rio.

We all know how things went on in 2018 .

BJP also knows.

Who knows even if they win, Rio may not get chief ministership again," he said.

"You see various things are at work...some central agencies you know...So, it is time for Rio to deliver.

But he (Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio) may feel he is trapped.

Otherwise, heart of heart, I don't know whether he will truly like to be in this manner......I feel his friends may even consider he should wish that he is defeated so that he is in peace," said Therie, one time close friend and compatriot of the chief minister.

"If the Modi Govt wants to take a decision, this is the time to take," he insisted, adding that the government of India is aware of various pros and cons.

The "nexus" between some politicians and their "friends" have weakened the prospect of solution, he maintained.

"I know the Naga movement is quite old and leaders have promised and suffered, but today they can say, it is the wish of the people; and aspiration of the people.

So let us accept this solution...We must see what is giveable from the Government of India," he said.

Therie also said that "we must appreciate the Framework Agreement of 2015 wherein it was stated that Naga leaders understand the intricacies of politics.

So, we must go ahead on that score" .

* The sender of this news can be contacted at nirendev1(AT)gmail(DOT)com .

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