Decode Politics: Why Eastern Nagaland districts are again seeing a poll boycott call

What is the separate state demand?

People in six eastern districts of Nagaland – Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang – have been demanding a separate state for long, on the grounds of lack of development in these parts. The issue escalated in November 2010, when the ENPO submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office seeking a separate state with special status and provisions, citing “development deficit” in the region.

Together, the six six districts account for one-third, or 20 of the 60, Assembly seats in the state.

Is there a development deficit?

Regional disparity between the Eastern Nagaland districts – which make up more than 30% of the population of the state and are home to the Konyak, Khiamniungan, Chang, Sangtam, Tikhir, Phom and Yimkhiung tribes – and the rest of the state is a commonly recognised fact.

The 2016 Nagaland State Human Development Report, flagging the disparity, noted that “there is considerable intra-state disparity in the spread of the benefits of development”. The report added that the gap has been widening over time.

People in six eastern districts of Nagaland – Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang – have been demanding a separate state for long, on the grounds of lack of development in these parts.

Is this the first poll boycott call?

Before the Nagaland Assembly polls in February last year, the demand again reared its head. As early as August 2022, the ENPO passed a resolution to abstain from participating in the Assembly polls unless the separate state demand was met.

However, weeks before the state went to polls, the ENPO withdrew the boycott call, citing an assurance from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs that a “mutually agreed solution” would be reached and implemented after the election process.

What has been the progress on that front?

Since the Assembly elections concluded, there have been several rounds of meetings between the ENPO and Union Home Ministry officials – including a tripartite meeting where representatives of the Nagaland government were also present.

As per sources who have been part of these meetings, the discussions have centred around creating a “unique arrangement” called the “Frontier Naga Territory”. This agreement would create a territory within the state of Nagaland that would have separate Legislature, Executive and financial powers.

The ENPO had been pushing for the arrangement to be formally finalised before the Lok Sabha elections.

What is the immediate provocation for the boycott?

ENPO president Tsapikiu Anar told The Indian Express: “We were given a verbal assurance by the Home Ministry that the matter would be finalised before the MCC comes into force. In the months before the election announcement, we made many requests and representations to the Union Home Minister. However, nothing happened. The MCC came into force. We have been informed that the Union government had sought the comments of the state government on a draft memorandum of settlement, but the state government has not submitted the same.”

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, whose government has appealed to the ENPO to participate in the Lok Sabha elections, earlier told reporters that he had forwarded the proposal to Eastern Nagaland MLAs and the ENPO for discussion, and that the matter was stuck at that stage.

Eastern Nagaland legislators have also appealed to the ENPO to not go ahead with the boycott.

However, ENPO Secretary W Manwang Konyak told The Indian Express that “it is too late” for the organisation to backtrack. “We wanted the matter to be resolved before the elections. Now, it is too late because the MCC has been applied and there is no option but to abstain. The demand is from the grassroot level and reflects the mandate of all village councils,” he said.