Dimapur, Feb. 6: Naga non-governmental organisations are conspicuous by their silence in the run-up to the February 26 polls, unlike the 1998 election when leading tribal NGOs had tried to convince Opposition parties in the state to ?abstain? from elections after the Centre rejected their plea to defer the polls till a definite outcome of the talks with the NSCN (Isak-Muivah).
However, secretary of the leading Naga human rights body, Naga People?s Movement for Human Rights (NPMHR), Neingulo Krome, denied that the NGOs were staying away from the electoral process.
?We are not going to give a free ride to Jamir this time,? he said.
Dismissing claims that the NGOs were silent because the NSCN (I-M) had waved the green flag to elections this time, he said the current reality contrasted sharply with that of 1998.
?In 1998, the situation was such that the peace process had just taken off and there was imminent danger to the process from imposition of elections. This time, the peace process seems to be on firmer ground and although we believe that elections cannot bring a solution to the Indo-Naga problem it is inevitable that elections would be held,? Krome said.
?But the Naga NGOs will certainly not remain silent. We will speak out when the situation is ripe,? he said.
Congress leaders are hoping to cash in on the fact that the Opposition is a divided house.
The Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) received a jolt on Wednesday when the BJP, stung by its ally, the NPF?s decision to field a candidate against DAN convenor and BJP heavyweight Hokishe Sema, announced 21 more candidates to lock in multi-lateral contests, including against NPF candidates.