KOHIMA, April 29 � Senior Congress leader and Union Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar said Naga political conflict will be solved within the framework of the Indian Constitution and claimed that the UPA Government at the Centre remains fully committed towards resolving the vexed Naga problem.
He said since the Constitution has enough scope to accommodate the demands of the Naga people, the settlement could be found within its framework.
Kumar was at Mokokchung to campaign for former Chief Minister S C Jamir who is seeking re-entry to Nagaland politics after nearly a decade-long gap through the bye-election of Aonglengden Assembly seat in the district which goes to poll on April 7.
He told newsmen yesterday that the Centre was committed to find an honourable and mutually acceptable solution to the Naga political conflict within the framework of Indian Constitution by holding wide ranging talks with the Naga people.
Earlier addressing a poll meeting, Kumar said he was sent by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convey the message that the Centre was fully committed to resolve the Naga issue through political negotiations with the Naga underground factions.
He said, �We want all Nagas to come on one platform and we tried so hard for this to happen.�
Jamir, the longest serving Chief Minister in the State, was out of active politics since 2003 while serving gubernatorial duty in Goa and Maharashtra. He is now seeking to return to State politics through the bye-election to Aonglenden seat, which has been his home constituency.
The bye-election was necessitated following the death of Congress MLA Nungshizenba Longkumer last year.
Jamir is facing a direct contest against ruling NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer. Both ruling NPF and opposition Congress have launched no-holds-bar campaigns to capture the seat. � PTI
