Kohima, Oct 28: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress today urged Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to "seriously consider" the Naga plebiscite of 1951, in which an overwhelming majority had favoured independence, while trying to resolve the protracted political conflict. ''Naga National Council (NNC), which is the mother political institution of the Nagas, conducted a plebiscite in 1951 to ascertain the opinion of the Nagas on the issue of Naga independence and 99 per cent people endorsed independence'', NPCC told the Prime Minister in a memorandum.
A Pradesh Congress delegation, led by its president and former chief minister S C Jamir and opposition leader I Imkong, called on the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan and conveyed the party's stand on Naga political issue and the development requirements of Nagaland, NPCC sources said.
''This important factor (Naga plebiscite) needs to be considered seriously while trying to work out a political framework for solution to the Naga problem'', the memorandum, a copy of which released to the press, said.
Insisting on inclusion of all underground groups under the purview of the peace talk process, Congress asserted that any ad hoc or interim arrangement with only a section of the people would lead to more problem or even more bloodshed in Nagaland.
Bureau Report