The President of the Nagaland Unit of BJP, Dr N Rhetso said that BJP was very keen to initiate political dialogues with all the insurgent organizations operating in the Northeast and further appealed to them to come out for finding solution to their problems.

The State BJP Chief also said the leaders of the NSCN (IM) should not miss the opportunities offered by the Prime Minister of the country that they could now visit India and have political dialogue with the representatives of the Government of India. "This is a welcome gesture shown by the Prime Minister of India", he told this correspondent here on Sunday.

The State BJP leader also claimed that it was he who first brought about the Naga issue to the notice of the Atal Behari Vajpayee when the latter was Opposition leader in Lok Sabha in 1993 that he (Vajpayee) should raise the issue on the Floor of Parliament that Government of India initiate political dialogue with the Naga undergrounds without any pre-condition.

"I convinced Vajpayee during our discussion that over last more than 40 years Congress rule, they (Congress) failed to take up the Naga issue and urged him to raise the issue on the Floor of the parliament", Dr Rhetso said. "That is how; we have witnessed today the political process between the Government of India and the Naga underground groups".

Dr Rhetso also ridiculed the repeated statements of the State Chief Minister SC Jamir that he was prepared to step down as and when the final settlement of the Naga political issue arrived at.

"Jamir has the habit of telling to step down but it is difficult to trust to such hollow statements", said the State BJP President. "Wherever he (Jamir) goes, he says the same thing. If he really thinks for the Nagas, he shouldn’t have gone against the wishes of the Naga Hoho and other NGOs who demanded the Government of India for deferment of 1998 general election in the State".

"All the regional political parties along with State BJP Unit responded positively to the call of the Naga Hoho and other NGOs, but Congress party in the State remained adamant and went ahead with the election", Dr Rhetso stated.

It may be mentioned that former National BJP President Kushabhau Thakre admitted during a press conference here that their non-participation in the last 1998 general election in the State was a "blunder" and further asserted that they would try their best to root out corrupt Congress Government from the State. Dr Rhetso also made it clear that 1998 mistake would not be repeated this time and further disclosed that they were fully prepared this time to participate in the ensuing election in the State.

Dr Rhetso however denied the charges made by the State Chief Minister Jamir that other political parties could not express their views and opinions to the undergrounds when they(regional political parties and State BJP Unit) were asked to boycott the election in 1998.

Jamir had recently explained as to how Congress party in the State went ahead with the election in 1998, adding he could convince then Naga Army Chief of the NSCN(IM) VS Atem when the latter spoke to him prior to the last 1998 general election not to participate in it. This, Jamir further claimed, was the clear manifestation of the far-sightedness of the Congress party towards its own "policies and programs" while alleging that other political parties could not perhaps express their own views and opinions even to the undergrounds when they were asked to boycott the election in 1998.

Reacting to Jamir’s statement, Dr Rhetso said all regional political parties as well as State BJP Unit opted out participation in the 1998 general election by positively responding to the call of the Naga Hoho and other NGOs for the solution of the Naga political problem. "Therefore, Jamir’s charges that we didn’t express our views and opinions do not arise", he added.

On some section of people’s claim that had there not been Congress in the last general election in the State, there would have been lawless everywhere in the State, the State BJP president questioned that why was Jamir now willing to step down and also when nearing the election in the State. "Is not it all for political gimmick and political mileage", he asked. Dr Rhetso also disclosed that Nagaland was getting more than Rs 1200 crore for both Plan and Non-plan expenditure yearly. But then with other components, it was about Rs 1900 crore annually.

He further informed that about Rs 600 crore was spent yearly for salaries of the Government employees but wondered where had another Rs 600 crore gone. He said if the State Government invested this huge amount for developments in the State, there would have been tremendous progress. "The Government could have constructed Engineering colleges for the State which we don’t have if this amount was utilized properly", he stated.