CALCUTTA, April 5: The Bharatiya Janata Party today demanded that the recent Assembly elections in Nagaland be declared "null and void" and polling be held afresh in the interest of parliamentary democracy.
BJP’s central observer for north-eastern states P B Acharya said here that the way elections were held in that state was "nothing but fake". The BJP’s demand was supported by Nagaland People’s Council and National Democratic Movement of Nagaland, he claimed.
Acharya, who arrived here from Shillong after attending the BJP’s Meghalaya state executive meeting yesterday, said that BJP-led coalition government’s move to restore normalcy in the trouble-torn state of Nagaland was "welcomed" by all.
"BJP believes that economic development, creation of job opportunities, restoration of law & order and steps to preserve ethnic identity and culture will bring back peace in Nagaland", Acharya said. He claimed that the Vajpayee government’s efforts to bring back peace in the state would succeed.