NEW DELHI, Jan. 9 – The move to oust Congress-Government in Nagaland has gathered pace, with the ruling NDA likely to seal a deal with the opposition alliance of Naga People Front (NPF). A formal announcement is slated to be made on January 22 in Nagaland. While the focus is on the ongoing tour of the NSCN (I-M) leadership, the NDA leaders are busy hammering out a strategy to put up a joint front of opposition parties to dislodge S C Jamir Government. The NDA partners who were joined by NCP leader, Sharad Pawar met at Defence Minister, George Fernandes house last evening for the first time.
The meeting was also attended by NPF leader, N Rio, vice president K T. The Minister of State for Water resources, Bijoya Chakraborty, Shambu Srivastava. A crucial meeting of the NDA is against slated for tomorrow where the next part of their strategy would be discussed including the proposed common minimum programme. They are likely to include promises for economic uplift, fight corruption among others promises.
The meeting tomorrow is likely to put seal of approval on the election strategy and the draft of the common minimum programme. The NDA partners including the ruling BJP have agreed to come on joint platform to give the Congress Government a run for its money. The NCP it may be recalled here has already sealed a deal with the NPF and is likely put up candidates in five seats.
Sources said that once the NDA partners work out an understanding with the NPF they might meet the NSCN (I-M) leaders as well, though several of the NDA Ministers including George Fernandes and Arun Shourie have meetings slated with the I-M leaders. A worried Khaplang faction has already called upon the I-M not to involve themselves in the polls either directly or indirectly. The anti-Congress front is likely to be joined by the Samata Party, the Janata Dal (United) and the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) besides the BJP.