Nagaland public confused over polls
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, January 07 2013: Confusion reigns among the people of Nagaland as to whether the State Assembly elections will be held or not.

Although the Election Commission of India (ECI) had already said that elections to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections would be conducted by March 18, political parties and frontal organisations are pressing to defer the Assembly elections saying that the Government of India should focus at the moment on Naga issue and not elections.

Two days after the Naga Hoho submitted a lengthy memorandum to ECI in Dimapur, Congress, BJP, NCP, JD (U), RJD and Trinamool Congress have apprised the Prime Minister through a detailed joint representation for deferment of Nagaland Assembly elections due by March 18.These parties want that New Delhi gives more importance to the ongoing Naga peace talks and not the elections stating that the Naga people have been waiting for solution and not elections.

Earlier on Friday, Naga Hoho apprised the ECI to withhold the Nagaland Assembly elections saying 'Naga solution' should precede elections.

The Naga Hoho in its memorandum to the ECI had stated that it was not the right time to hold elections in Nagaland as the entire Naga people are longing for settlement of the vexed Naga political issue first.

In a situation like this, no political party or candidate has dared to drum up the election euphoria.

However, some politicians have been making comments in a coy manner campaigning for the forth coming polls.

With this given situation, the general public have been wondering what is actually in store.

The reasons that have brought the people to the confused state of affairs have been numerous---the cracking in the Joint Legislature Forum (JLF); starting of election process by the Election Commission of India; the Naga Hoho and political parties various apprisals to the Central leadership to defer the elections and the non-starter of campaigning in Nagaland by the candidates as well as by the political parties.

Meanwhile, observers feel that since the Election Commission of India has started the election process in the state, elections to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly are bound to happen.

"We have to conduct the Assembly elections in Nagaland before March 18," said V.S.Sampath, Chief Election Commissioner of India while addressing the media at Police Complex, Chumukedima in Dimapur on January 4 .

A complete team of ECI had met top bureaucrats of the state and the leaders of political parties during their visit in Nagaland on January 3 and 4 .

After having met all those who matter, V.S.Sampath had said he had instructed all the district magistrates in Nagaland to start preparing for the Assembly elections.

Comment