The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has questioned the Naga People’s Front’s (NPF) assertion that councillors who joined or extended support to the party did so voluntarily, asking whether such decisions can be considered voluntary if opposition councillors are denied development funds for their wards.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NPCC alleged that opposition councillors had been subjected to political pressure through the alleged withholding of development funds, leaving them with little choice but to support the ruling establishment to secure development for their constituents.
The Congress has called on the government to disclose ward-wise allocation and release of development funds to establish whether opposition councillors have been treated fairly.
“Development funds belong to the people, not to any political party,” the NPCC said, adding that such funds “must never become instruments of political bargaining.”
The statement comes a day after the NPF rejected the Congress’ earlier allegation of “poaching” elected members of Town and Municipal Councils.
The NPF said councillors who joined or extended support to it had done so “voluntarily and of their own volition” and challenged the Congress to produce evidence of coercion, inducement or unlawful acts before the appropriate authority.
The NPCC has now shifted the focus to the allocation of development funds, asking for ward-wise figures to determine whether political affiliation has affected the release of funds.
On the appointment of Ajit Lal as the new interlocutor for the Indo-Naga political talks, the NPCC also rejected the NPF’s support for the appointment, arguing that it does not meet the demand made at the broad-based Consultative Meeting on the Naga Political Issue.
The NPCC referred to the resolution adopted at the meeting on September 12, 2024, which appealed to the Government of India to “elevate the ongoing dialogue and peace process to the highest political level” by appointing an interlocutor of “political / ministerial level” with the confidence and mandate of the government. The State government has also subsequently reiterated this demand.
Ajit Lal, a retired IPS officer and former chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, was reported appointed as the new interlocutor on September 24. The NSCN (IM) welcomed the appointment and also welcomed the reported inclusion of a Union minister or group of Union ministers in the negotiation framework.
The NPCC, however, argued that the appointment of a retired civil servant did not fulfil the September 2024 resolution’s call for a political or ministerial-level interlocutor.
The party said the Naga peace process is a political issue requiring political leadership and called on the NPF to recognise the demand for a political leader or minister who could bring stakeholders together towards a political agreement.
The NPF, in its September 28 statement, had welcomed Ajit Lal’s appointment while pointing to the reported inclusion of Union ministers in the negotiation framework. It also maintained that the September 2024 resolution called for the dialogue to be elevated to the political or ministerial level.