KOHIMA, March 3 — The Nagaland People, Front (NPF) hs expresed its gratitude to the people of Nagaland for giving their mandate to “many veteran, senior and able lenders of the Democratic Frotn of Nagaland (DAN) and its partners.” K Therie, the spokesman fo the NPF said here on Sudnay tht with the supprot of the NDA government at the Centre, they woud try to implement the common minimum programme.
“The main objective of working with the NDA Government at the Centre is to secure a final and permanent settlement to the long standing Naga political problem and people mandate was towards this objective,” Therie pointed out. “And therefore we shall make all efforts to ensure a permanent peace in not only Nagaland but also in the entire north eastern region.”
Asked if there was any time bound programme for the final settlement of the Naga political problem, the NPF Spokesman said he couldn’t give any such “time bound programme” for the final settlement but disclosed that the new DAN Government would constitute a “Political Affairs Committee” to contact all the factions to hammer out their differences and come to one voice. “If Mizoram Chief Minister could meet leaders of our Naga national workers, why can’t our own Chief Minister do it,” he asked.
Asked about NSCN (IM) cadres’ threats and intimidations to voters not to support the Congress and its parties in just concluded Assembly elections whereby Congress suffered a major setback, Therei attributed such cases to “individual capacity” of the organization (NSCN-IM). “Otherwise, as an organization (NSCN-IM), I don’t think, it had indulged in such activities,” he stated.
Denying that the NSCN-IM factor had helped winning many seats of NFP and its allies, the spokesman explained that a number of NPF candidates faced a rout in most of the NSCN (IM) stronghold areas and therefore such allegations were irrelevant. He rather charged Jamir of using “armed gangs” to capture whole of Mokokchung district.
“It is unfortunate that people of Mokokchung was not able to exercise their franchise fairly since statehood,” he alleged. Asked if the new DAN Ministry would be “jumbo size ministry,” Therie said since it would a coalition Ministry, “the Ministry will be a jumbo size.” “When there was no opposition in Jamir ministry, the strength of Ministry was 34 including Speaker and Deputy Speaker so naturally we shall have to accommodate more because of the coalition nature,” he added.