Political pundits doubt if Naga settlement will be sealed before 2023 state polls

Kohima, May 22 The Nagaland government and all the political parties have been urging the Central government and all other stakeholders to settle the much expected Naga peace talks before the assembly elections, due in January-February next year.

But the political pundits and leaders of various political parties are doubtful whether the much awaited Naga peace talks would be completed in the next 8 to 9 months.

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who is also the BJP legislature party leader, in a recent public meeting in Wokha district categorically said that the Centre should resolve the Naga peace talks issue by August 15 this year.

"If the Naga political issue was not settled now, the long pending issue would take another 100 years to settle," said Patton, who is a member of all the important committees, including the Core Committee on the Naga political issue, headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

Accompanied by Patton and other Naga leaders, the Chief Minister held a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday in New Delhi.

Both Shah and the Nagaland delegation remained tightlipped about whether they discussed the Naga political issue, but Rio said that discussion with the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland