Assam CM's role in Naga peace talks

The involvement for the first time of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the long-drawn peace talks between the NSCN and the Union Government has definitely added an altogether new dimension to the issue. It was on Thursday that Sarma met members of the core committee on the Naga political issues at Chumukedima near Dimapur, and discussed various aspects of the peace talks, which has been at a stalemate for several years now, for about an hour. The peace talks had begun way back in 1997 with the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the two sides. Later, the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) had signed a Framework of Agreement in August, 2015, thus taking the issue pretty close to a possible and lasting solution agreeable to one and all. In the last five or six years, however, there has been a stalemate between the Government of India and NSCN (IM) over the contentious issue of a separate flag and a constitution for Nagaland. While the NSCN (IM) wants a separate flag and a constitution, the Government of India has rejected it for obvious reasons. It is not immediately known whether the Assam Chief Minister has been given any special assignment vis-à-vis the Naga peace talks. But, the fact that he held an hour-long meeting with the core committee members is in itself a strong signal that certain developments – and definitely certain positive developments - are taking place at the highest level. The Assam Chief Minister in his capacity as convenor of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) has an impressive influence over other political leaders of that state whose parties are allies of the BJP. It was because of the political acumen of Sarma that the BJP has been able to spread its wings across the North-east and establish its own governments or governments with its regional allies. If Sarma can contribute towards the final solution to the vexed Naga issue, he will become the greatest hero of the entire region.