Imphal, January 11: The United Naga Council (UNC) has directed all the Naga political leaders and functionaries of political parties to tender their resignations from the National and regional political parties within 48 hours of the publication of the directive in the greater interest of the Naga people.

The UNC while issuing this statement to Newmai News Network by its information and publicity secretary S Milan this evening, said that the Naga body in consonance with the UNC's Position Paper on the 9th General Election 2007, Manipur, has issued this directive "to all leaders of the political parties both National and regional and the functionaries from State level to block level" to resign from their respective political parties and posts in two days time.

The UNC has also directed all the intending candidates for the 9th Assembly Election of Manipur to attend a meeting on January 16 at Senapati.

The meeting is slated at 11 am.

The UNC directives said that the intending candidates are urged to attend the meeting along with their family members and their respective chief election agents, said UNC general secretary Azang Longmei.

"Basing on the declarations of the Naga Peoples' Convention (NPC) held on August 8 and 9, 2001, at Tahamzam (Senapati) and declared that our birth identity and history has to be preserved at all cost and the firm political stand of the Nagas of Manipur is to uphold the resolution of the Naga people for integration of all Naga areas under one administration", stated the UNC statement.

It also stated that to further the realisation of these declarations, another NPC was convened on November 4, 2005, at Taphou village, Tahamzam (Senapati) which had also reiterated the August 8 and 9 declarations.

"By upholding the position paper under the theme 'Call for Democratic expression of Our Birthright � Position Paper on the 9th General Election 2007, Manipur, the emergency meeting of the UNC held on December 28, 2006 at Tahamzam (Senapati) resolved that no political party affiliation of whatsoever; no holding of political parties' conventions and campaigns in the Naga areas with immediate effect; no bribery of electorate/ voters and also that election related revelry and holding of musical concerts be totally banned and restricted in the Naga areas", informed the United Naga Council.