<p>The delay in signing the final agreement with Naga groups, the killing of civilians by security forces in Oting village in Nagaland in December and the alleged flip flop over the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has become the focus as remaining 22 Assembly constituencies in Manipur goes for polls on March 5. </p>.<p>Out of the 22 seats, at least 12 are in the hills where the Naga People's Front (NPF), a partner of the BJP-led government in Manipur since 2017 is focussing on the Naga issues to corner both oppositions Congress and the saffron party. Nagas are believed to be deciding factors in at least 10 seats and the issues concerning the Naga conflicts has become the focus of all parties. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/manipur/modi-shah-target-congress-in-manipur-promises-aiims-skill-university-but-silent-on-afspa-1086628.html">Modi, Shah target Congress in Manipur, promises AIIMS, skill university but silent on AFSPA </a></strong></p>.<p>In fact, the hills of Manipur has an important connection with the Naga Movement as Thuingaleng Muivah, the chief of NSCN (IM), the Naga rebel group in ceasefire since 1997, was born in a village in Ukhrul, one of the hill districts in Manipur.</p>.<p>In 2017, NPF had won four out of 10 seats and helped BJP form its government as the saffron party had won 21 seats in the House of 60. In 2017, both BJP and NPF had promised to impress upon the Centre to solve the Naga conflict and to repeal the AFSPA but the two major promises have remained unfulfilled in the past five years. </p>.<p>The process to sign the final agreement with the Naga groups to end the decades-old Naga conflict is also stuck due to NSCN-IM's insistence on its "core demands" for a separate flag and Constitution for the Nagas and Narendra Modi government's refusal to accept the demand. A "framework agreement" was signed between the NSCN-IM and the Centre in August 2015, which was to be the basis for signing a final agreement. </p>.<p>The killing of 14 civilians in Oting village in Nagaland's Mon district by Assam Rifles in December last year vitiated the atmosphere further not only in Nagaland but also in the Naga dominated hills districts of Manipur like Ukhrul, Chandel and Senapati. The demand to repeal the AFSPA grew louder after the killings. The Centre had formed a committee to take a decision regarding the withdrawal of the controversial act. But the delay in punishing those involved in the killings and in the decision regarding AFSPA has triggered anger among Naga voters in Manipur too.</p>.<p>Opposition Congress and three allies of BJP, National People's Party, NPF and JD-U, who are contesting the elections separately, has made the AFSPA the main agenda in their manifesto but BJP has skipped the same. BJP, on the other hand, is targetting Congress alleging that the party had created a division between people living on the hills and the Valley for votes and neglected the development issues of the hills.</p>.<p>"In the past five years, BJP has united people and have brought peace. Give us another five years, we will talk to all insurgent groups to end militancy," home minister Amit Shah said in a rally on Tuesday in Heirok, one of the constituencies in the hills. Senior Congress leader, Jairam Romesh on Wednesday countered Shah saying the home minister resorted to lies for votes in the hills.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>The delay in signing the final agreement with Naga groups, the killing of civilians by security forces in Oting village in Nagaland in December and the alleged flip flop over the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) has become the focus as remaining 22 Assembly constituencies in Manipur goes for polls on March 5. </p>.<p>Out of the 22 seats, at least 12 are in the hills where the Naga People's Front (NPF), a partner of the BJP-led government in Manipur since 2017 is focussing on the Naga issues to corner both oppositions Congress and the saffron party. Nagas are believed to be deciding factors in at least 10 seats and the issues concerning the Naga conflicts has become the focus of all parties. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/manipur/modi-shah-target-congress-in-manipur-promises-aiims-skill-university-but-silent-on-afspa-1086628.html">Modi, Shah target Congress in Manipur, promises AIIMS, skill university but silent on AFSPA </a></strong></p>.<p>In fact, the hills of Manipur has an important connection with the Naga Movement as Thuingaleng Muivah, the chief of NSCN (IM), the Naga rebel group in ceasefire since 1997, was born in a village in Ukhrul, one of the hill districts in Manipur.</p>.<p>In 2017, NPF had won four out of 10 seats and helped BJP form its government as the saffron party had won 21 seats in the House of 60. In 2017, both BJP and NPF had promised to impress upon the Centre to solve the Naga conflict and to repeal the AFSPA but the two major promises have remained unfulfilled in the past five years. </p>.<p>The process to sign the final agreement with the Naga groups to end the decades-old Naga conflict is also stuck due to NSCN-IM's insistence on its "core demands" for a separate flag and Constitution for the Nagas and Narendra Modi government's refusal to accept the demand. A "framework agreement" was signed between the NSCN-IM and the Centre in August 2015, which was to be the basis for signing a final agreement. </p>.<p>The killing of 14 civilians in Oting village in Nagaland's Mon district by Assam Rifles in December last year vitiated the atmosphere further not only in Nagaland but also in the Naga dominated hills districts of Manipur like Ukhrul, Chandel and Senapati. The demand to repeal the AFSPA grew louder after the killings. The Centre had formed a committee to take a decision regarding the withdrawal of the controversial act. But the delay in punishing those involved in the killings and in the decision regarding AFSPA has triggered anger among Naga voters in Manipur too.</p>.<p>Opposition Congress and three allies of BJP, National People's Party, NPF and JD-U, who are contesting the elections separately, has made the AFSPA the main agenda in their manifesto but BJP has skipped the same. BJP, on the other hand, is targetting Congress alleging that the party had created a division between people living on the hills and the Valley for votes and neglected the development issues of the hills.</p>.<p>"In the past five years, BJP has united people and have brought peace. Give us another five years, we will talk to all insurgent groups to end militancy," home minister Amit Shah said in a rally on Tuesday in Heirok, one of the constituencies in the hills. Senior Congress leader, Jairam Romesh on Wednesday countered Shah saying the home minister resorted to lies for votes in the hills.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>