Dimapur, Dec 23 : Following the proposed move made by Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament Khekiho Zhimomi for creation of a Legislative Council for Nagaland, the United Democratic Socialist Party (UNDSP) while endorsing support for the move has also made an appeal to the NPF-led DAN government to take up the issue of ‘re-transfer’ of the State of Nagaland to the Ministry of External Affairs, a status enjoyed prior to 1972. 

President of the UNDSP, Ntsemo Ngullie in a press note quoted the resolution passed by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly wherein it was stated that “Nagaland should continue to be under the Ministry of External Affairs and the decision of the Government of India so taken be withdrawn foreword”. 

In this regard, the UNDSP reiterated that Nagaland should be brought back under the Ministry of External Affairs till an honorable political solution acceptable to all sections of the people is attained. 

As such the party appealed to the chief minister, his cabinet colleagues, Lok Sabha MP and Rajya Sabha MP besides civil society groups Naga Hoho, NSF and Naga Mothers’ Association to take this issue to the Government of India.

The UNDSP also expressed its full support to the initiative of the Rajya Sabha MP Khekiho Zhimomi for creation of a Legislative Council in Nagaland. 

“By constituting the legislative council in the State, the people of Nagaland will get the opportunity to select the intellectuals specializing in various disciplines as its members”, stated the press note from the UNDSP. It was also pointed out that the state assembly will also be strengthened by constituting it because some of the best talent from the council can be selected in the Council of Ministers to fill certain specialized portfolios such as planning and co-ordination, finance, industry, education etc. 

Further such a move will also fulfill the long cherished aspiration of the Naga people, the party stated and  mentioned the suggestion made in the past by eminent leaders and intellectuals like Late M. Kithan, the first Education Minister of Nagaland.

Mumbai, Dec 18 : A group of Muslim leaders on Wednesday decided to float a political party in Maharashtra, just in time to contest the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

Senior cleric Maulana Badruddin Ajmal will lead the front, which will be launched in 40 days. The name proposed for the new party is Maharashtra United Democratic Front.

The decision was taken at a meeting, attended by dozens of ulema (religious scholars) and representatives of Muslim NGOs and activists from across Maharashtra at Birla Matoshri Hall, Marine Lines. The speakers slammed the "sham'' secularism of the Congress. The community leaders also called upon Muslims to join and support them to get their rightful share in the country's development.

"It will not be another version of the Muslim League. It will be a coalition of all the deprived groups who are willing to form an anti-BJP, anti-Congress coalition,'' said Maulana Ajmal, who led a similar front in Assam, called Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), to an impressive showing three years ago in the assembly election. Out of the 73 seats it contested, it won 10.

When asked if the `Assam experiment' could work in Maharashtra since the population of Muslims in Assam was 31% but it was only 13% in Maharashtra, the Maulana said the front would not just bank on Muslims. Maualana Ajmal, who also heads the Assam wing of the Jamiatul Ulema-e-Hind, an influential body of Deobandi clerics, is confident the Jamiat cadre will help brighten the chances of his party.

The cleric-led front has appointed journalist-historian Amresh Mishra, a known Sangh Parivar-baiter, as its spokesperson. Explaining the reasons why a Muslim-based party was the hour's need, Misra said that the Congress "lost the confidence'' of the community years ago.

Retired Colonel Sudhir Sawant, former Congress MP from Rajapur and now a leader of Bahujan Samaj Federation, and OBC leader Yunus Maniar are among those who have backed the new Muslim-led political front.