From our Correspondent

DIMAPUR, July 22: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Nagaland state unit, has extended all support to the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF) of Nagaland Legislative Assembly in the latter’s endeavour to find an honourable settlement to the protracted Naga political problem.

Interacting with a section of the local media on Saturday, secretary general (NCP North East Coordination Committee) and NCP Nagaland State President, Neiba Ndang, said that the state NCP had all along appealed to all political parties in Nagaland to apprise the Centre for early settlement of the Naga issue.

It may be mentioned that all 60 legislators, including both the NPF and opposition Congress legislators of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, had on Thursday last in a meeting decided and resolved to pave way in the event of a logical conclusion to the ongoing Naga peace process. All 60 Naga legislators affirmed to give up their present positions and proposed formation of an interim government of underground groups,

 “In fact, this (decision of the JLF) should have been done long back,” the NCP leader said.

Ndang also appealed to all Naga underground groups to unite and come forward for an honourable settlement based on the unique historical rights of the Nagas.

On the recent clean and fair election slogan by the Nagaland Baptist Church Association (NBCC), the NCP leader said it was a welcome move. Ndang felt that Nagaland, as a Christian state, should abide by the NBCC slogan and that election process should be free from corruption, money and muscle power and booth capturing.

The NCP leader said that NBCC should implement its slogan both in letter and spirit and try to rope in all associations and churches under its banner for effective implementation of the slogan.

“I believe that the NBCC slogan can be effectively put into force since Nagaland is a Christian state”, Ndang said.

Ndang further said that at the present juncture, Nagas need leaders who are genuine, sincere, reasonable and really concerned for the people and not leaders elected through money power.

“Genuine leaders are the need of the hour to salvage the Nagas”, he added.