GUWAHATI
The Konyak Union, one of the constituents of the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), on Wednesday said it was firm on boycotting the upcoming Assembly polls unless the Centre accepted the demand to bifurcate Nagaland.
The Konyak Union is the apex body of the Konyaks, one of the seven major tribes inhabiting six of Nagaland’s 16 districts demanding the creation of Frontier Nagaland. The six districts are Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang, which have 20 of the State’s 60 Assembly seats.
In a statement issued late Wednesday evening, the Union said it had decided to adhere to the ENPO’s resolution on August 26, 2022, to abstain from participating in the Assembly elections unless the statehood demand was acceded to. The ENPO, however, declined to comment after a marathon meeting to discuss the announcement of polls, by the Election Commission of India.
Nagaland will go to polls on February 27 along with Meghalaya and parts of Tripura.
Nokzei P. Konyak, the Union’s spokesperson said the organisation also resolved to “permanently expel” anyone who filed the nomination to participate in the election “from the Konyak soil” and the “village of the person filing the nomination would be held responsible”.
The Union has “empowered” a couple of social organisations and the village councils to “fully implement and act upon the resolution”.
