The Narendra Modi government at the Centre is keen to arrive at an amicable solution to the decades-old vexed Naga issue by carrying forward all possible means.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary who oversees the party’s Northeast affairs said on Thursday that the issue has ‘progressed to a great extent, according to an Indian Express report.
Ram Madhav further said, his party wants stability in poll-bound Nagaland despite its strained relationship with the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) in the State.
Madhav further said the BJP is keeping its options open at the moment in the state of Nagaland. “We are serious about bringing a stable and development-focused government,” Madhav said in an interview to the national daily.
“We want a government that would help us in taking forward and amicably concluding the Naga talks that have progressed to a great extent. We need a government that will extend support in bringing an amicable solution to the Naga problem.”
According to sources, the BJP is keen on collaborating with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). Neiphiu Rio, three-term former chief minister, has walked out of the NPF and reportedly joined the NDPP. The BJP however, is not expected, to announce a chief ministerial candidate any time soon for the three states going to polls.
The report quoted Madhav admitting that among the three poll-bound north-eastern states, Tripura would be the most crucial for the BJP.
“The Tripura election will be the battle royale for us in this round of elections,” he admitted candidly during the interview with the national daily.
According to Madhav, Tripura has lacked in development in all fronts under the Left Front rule led by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.
Tripura is going to witness a direct clash between the Left Front and the saffron party during the upcoming elections, a first of its kind in the entire country.
The BJP general secretary, while lambasting the Manik Sarkar government in Tripura said, its disgraceful that the state is still implementing the fourth pay commission.
“We will implement the seventh pay commission recommendations within 24 hours if we come to power in Tripura,” Madhav asserted, quoted the report.
Madhav further said his party is continuing talks with the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT). “We are in favour of addressing the socio-economic grievances of tribals being championed and highlighted by the IPFT and other groups. As far as political unity is concerned, everybody including the IPFT will be committed to the territorial oneness of Tripura”, he said in the interview to Indian Express.
He also exuded confidence that the BJP has bright prospects in Meghalaya too, saying the party is expecting to win more seats than the previous occasion, the report added.