The Konyak Union (KU) held an emergency meeting today at the KU conference hall in Mon headquarters and declared that it would continue its resolution to refrain from participating in the upcoming NLA elections.
The Election Commission of India had, earlier today, announced the schedule for General Elections to Legislative Assembly for the Northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland. According to the schedule, Nagaland is set to go to the polls on 27 February 2023.
In a press release issued today, the KU asserted that it has resolved at the meeting “to remain steadfast and firm to the 26th August 2022 ENPO resolution to abstain from participating in the upcoming 2023 NLA Election until the Govt. of India grant the demand of ENPO for a separate statehood befittingly.”
According to the press release, the meeting was attended by “the chairman of Konyak villages, Apex CSO, Konyak Union Executive Council Members, KU advisory board members, senior leaders and intellectuals.”
The KU stated that the house resolved “to permanently expel those individual(s) filing nomination” for the upcoming elections from “Konyak soil” and added that “the village of the person filing nomination shall be held solely responsible.”
In the press release, the KU further stated that it has “fully endorsed and empowered the Konyak Nyupu Sheko Khong (KNSK), Konyak Students’ Union (KSU) and Village Councils to fully implement and act upon the resolution.”
Meanwhile, the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) has also directed all the federating units of ENSF and sub-ordinate bodies to “strictly implement the letter No. ENSF/01-RES/22, dated 19th December 2022, resolved during the Emergency Presidential Meeting held at Tuensang HQ.”
In a directive issued on 17 January, the ENSF stated: “[A]ny Officials of ENSF, Federating Units and it’s Units ‘holding any designated post are directed to resign or withdraw from any political entity and affiliates’ at the earliest.”
The Chang Wedoshi Setshang (CWS) – Chang Students’ Conference – has also issued a directive today directing “all the officials of CWS federating units” holding any designated post “to resign or withdraw from any political entity and affiliation immediately.”
Its directive comes “in accordance to the directives of the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation dated: 17/01/2023, Ref. No. ENSF/01-DIR/23 and as decided during the emergency Presidential Meeting at Tuensang Head Quarter dated 18th December 2022.”
The CWS has firmly stated that it will take “stern action against the defaulter” should there be any failure in complying with these directives.
