Assam CM to help Centre end stalemate in Naga peace talks

GUWAHATI: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is likely to meet NSCN (IM) supremo Th Muivah at Dimapur in Nagaland on Tuesday to try and break the deadlock with the group over its two demands — a separate Naga flag and constitution — and set the ground for concluding the 24-year-old peace process with a settlement.
Though the MHA has so far not spelt out Sarma’s role, this is a fresh attempt to get Muivah on board through a political functionary (Sarma), who is the convenor of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), ahead of next year’s assembly election in Manipur where Nagas are the biggest block of voters in 20 of the 60 seats.
Sarma, after a meeting with Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, said he was going to Dimapur on Tuesday, “not as a chief minister, but as NEDA convener.”
“I have been participating at some point in the talks between the Centre and NSCN (IM), though not officially, but mostly as NEDA convenor if have to discuss with the state’s political parties. I will be in Dimapur tomorrow also to discuss the political scenraio after the state became oppositionless with the NPF and an Indpendent joining the NDPP-BJP allinace,” Sarma said.
Ahead of Sarma’s likely meeting, NSCN (IM) led by Muivah held its first formal meeting with the Centre’s representtaive, former IB special director AK Mishra, at Chumoukedima in Kohima on Monday and reiterated that there can be no solution without a separate flag and constitution.