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Same strategy, arrangement with CM Neiphiu Rio’s party — How BJP hopes to ace Nagaland polls

Nagaland is the first state to have gone Opposition-less in 2021. In these elections, however, Naga People's Front will go solo though it has said it's open to post-poll alliances.

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Guwahati: In poll-bound Nagaland, the alliance of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio led-Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Thursday the list of candidates for the coming state assembly elections. The parties are on a 40:20 seat-sharing agreement — the same that had worked well for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 2018 to form a stable coalition government. 

It must be noted that Nagaland became the first Indian state to go Opposition-less in August 2021. The NDPP, the BJP, and the Naga People’s Front (NPF) came together, along with two Independent MLAs as partners, to form the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), an Opposition-less government. The decision was taken in the larger interest of the Naga people, especially to address the Naga political issue, the allies said. 

Elections to the 60-member Nagaland assembly are set for February 27 even as talks are on between the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) and a three-member central committee for forming a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ carved out of 16 districts. The ENPO had called for a boycott of the elections if their condition was not met but 20 MLAs from the region comprising six districts have rejected the call.

Meanwhile, chief BJP spokesperson Kuputo Shohe said the list could have been stronger if a few more aspirants were included, but added that the party has not missed out on anything. 

“We are happy with the list. It’s a rightly distributed list…but tough luck for few. It could have been stronger with a few more inclusions. But we have a seat-sharing arrangement with NDPP, and cannot help it. So, some of these sure-shot candidates have missed the bus. Still, we have capable candidates this season,” he said to ThePrint.

A few aspiring candidates who could not find a place are former minister Nuklutoshi Longkumer from Mokokchung district, Sukato Rotokha and Hukiye N. Tissicca from Zunheboto district. 

The NDPP-BJP alliance was formed in 2018, the former contested 40 seats and the latter, 20. While the NPF, one of the oldest regional parties in Northeast, remained the largest party by both seats and vote share, the alliance won the mandate of the people to form the government.

In 2018, the NPF won 26 seats while the BJP won 12, and the NDPP 18, with Rio becoming the chief minister. Those elections were more of a battle between former chief minister and NPF leader T.R. Zeliang and his predecessor Neiphiu Rio, who was a part of the NPF then. Owing to massive infighting, Rio formed the NDPP. The Zeliang-Rio split led to the BJP ending its 15-year alliance with NPF, and entering into a partnership with NDPP — the alliance remains intact with BJP being the junior partner this electoral season too.

For the coming elections, the NPF has decided to go solo against the NDPP-BJP coalition, but has reportedly stated it is open to post-poll alliance with any political party, “including NDPP and BJP” to form the next government.

Till 2013, the BJP had no significant presence in Nagaland — of the 11 seats contested, the party won just one in the assembly elections and two per cent of the vote. In 2018, it saw a 15 per cent vote share.


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‘Good representation’ 

With the 40:20 formula intact, it remains to be seen if the NDPP-BJP understanding is geared towards permanent negotiation and compromise.

BJP in-charge for Nagaland, Nalin Kohli told ThePrint that for now, they can only contest in 20 seats, but the list gives “good regional representation”, enhancing the party’s electoral prospects in newer areas.

“We were in alliance in 2018 on a 40:20 formula. In July 2022, our senior leaders, and CM Rio with his party leaders, met and decided to continue with the alliance on the same seat-sharing arrangement. Obviously, as the party gets stronger, there are a good number of aspiring candidates, but finally, we have to contest only 20 seats. Out of the 20 seats we contested in 2018, we won 12, which effectively leaves us with only approximately eight seats for discussion,” said Kohli. He said the party plans to repeat 11 of the 12 winning candidates as also four of those who lost on their seats in 2018. 

“There are five seats which are new as compared to 2018. What the central election committee has decided is appropriate — the list gives good regional representation, expands BJP into newer areas, and I think we stand a good chance of improving our performance in 2018,” he said. 

On asking if the (seat-sharing) arrangement feels unjustifiable, Kohli said there has been an equal involvement of NDPP and BJP leaders in government.  “We are in a coalition, and as per our understanding, we both have six ministers each. In fairness, I think there’s an equal involvement in governance. From our party, we have Y Patton as the deputy CM while Rio from NDPP is the Chief Minister. The seat-sharing factors could be many, and it is for them to think for their party— he (Rio) might be retaining some of his MLAs, or making way for others who have newly joined the party. We have been able to discuss and find a balance, which works for both.”

ENPO’s boycott call  

Meanwhile, intense deliberations are underway between the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) and the three-member committee of home ministry led by advisor (Northeast), A.K. Mishra — for forming a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ carved out of 16 districts. 

Late in January, the ENPO set the granting of ‘Frontier Nagaland’ as a pre-condition for the people in six districts – Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang – to participate in the assembly elections. The map of ‘Frontier Nagaland’ comprises 20 of the constituencies inhabited by seven tribes – Chang, Khiamniungan, Konyak, Phom, Sangtam, Tikhir and Yimkhiung. 

A team of ENPO leaders was scheduled to meet Union Home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi Thursday to discuss a “new arrangement”, while continuing to press for a separate Frontier Nagaland. The central government has reportedly offered creation of an autonomous council in the eastern districts of Nagaland. ThePrint tried to reach out to the ENPO leadership on the phone for their stand on the boycott call, but received no response. This report will be updated if ENPO leaders respond.

The list released by BJP includes several seats in the eastern part under ENPO where candidates have not been able to campaign openly, Shohe told ThePrint. The candidates for three seats in the ENPO area P. Paiwang Konyak from Tizit in Mon district, Kongam Konyak from Phomching, and Er. Cheong Konyak from Mon town, are campaigning discretly, ThePrint has learnt

“We are contesting a number of seats in the ENPO area that includes many sitting MLAs defending their seats. The ENPO has been in talks with Home ministry officials for the past few weeks. We need to wait and see what emanates from the talks. It is a statutory requirement, rather a constitutional requirement — of an election to be conducted as per schedule, and as decided by the EC. We are hopeful that everyone would work collectively in that direction,” said Kohli.

Same poll plank  

The BJP will continue to campaign on its core poll plank of peace and development in Nagaland, while looking with its alliance partner to build a new economy for the state. 

“Overall, Nagaland has seen much development over the past five years — highways, Internet, railways, airports and connectivity, a lot has happened. The core slogan and principles upon which our campaign would be based is peace and development. Prime Minister Modi has visited the Northeast more than 50 times since 2014, which is more than all PMs put together before him. Much could be possible because of the Centre’s assistance through funds for development,” Kohli said.

Naga peace talks 

A solution to the long-drawn Naga peace process doesn’t seem likely before the elections as there hasn’t been a breakthrough in talks between the central government and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isaak Muivah (NSCN-IM).

During the 2018 assembly polls, the BJP had campaigned on the slogan ‘Election for Solution’, but the civil society groups and tribal bodies do not think much of the central government’s approach.

It has been 25 years since the talks began in 1997. This would be the third election since the 2015 ‘Framework Agreement’ was signed by the central government to seek a final solution with the IM faction of the NSCN. Since the supposed conclusion of the formal peace talks in October 2019, the Nagas are left to face an uncertain future. The two sides are still negotiating to reach an agreement over the IM’s demand for a separate Naga flag and Constitution — in recognition of the “Naga history spanning over 70 years”.

Earlier on 5 January, the working committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) accused Nagaland BJP president Temjen Imna Along of failing in his commitment to the Naga cause. The NNPGs are a group of seven Naga insurgent outfits that are also holding talks with the central government.

Idealogy, track record and personalities

Among the senior contenders in the 20-member BJP list are deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton from Tyui assembly constituency, state president Along from Alongtaki, N. Jacob Zhimomi from Ghaspani-1, H. Tovihoto Ayemi from Dimapur -I, P. Paiwang Konyak from Tizit and  Mmhonlumo Kikon from Bhandari. The BJP has also fielded recently retired chief engineer Kahuli Sema from Atoizu constituency — with the hope that she may create history by becoming the first woman MLA in the Nagaland assembly since state formation in 1963.

“Patton, our deputy CM, is a tall leader. But the party has an impressive line of other experienced leaders as well, including two-time MLAs. Our (state) president is also popular and is followed widely on social media. The election will be a mix of many things —   ideology, track record, leaders in the state and national leaders, especially the credibility and popularity of PM Modi,” said Kohli.

ThePrint reached out to the NDPP office on the phone to discuss the party’s strategy but did not get a response. This report will be updated if a response is received.

(Edited by Smriti Sinha)


Also read: ‘Of , by & for Meghalaya’ — its allies going solo, ‘locally rooted’ UDP may emerge kingmaker


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