Nagaland's 'acting CM' (in view of special authorization by Neiphiu Rio) Y Patton has batted for 'exclusive' BJP Govt in the state in 2022 !!

Nagaland is awaiting a key leader. Can Y Patton wear that cap ?

Christianity arrived Nagaland in 1871 and most Nagas are Baptised Christians. 

Christians form 90 percent of Nagaland’s 2.2 million people and notably, BJP chief J P Nadda visited Kohima's famous Cathedral during his stay in the state capital in 2022. 

In 2018, the Hindu-Christian divide card was played up to its hilt by regional party NPF and in some segments like the one in Tenyimia belt even a strong grassroots worker and BJP nominee was humbled. 

It is always interesting and rather perplexing to gauge voters' mind vis-a-vis the entry and growth of BJP in Nagaland.  

Of course, the saffron party has benefited from the basic weakness of Nagaland politics -- it shivers if New Delhi sneezes. Meaning, the voters and politicians want to be on the right side of the ruling dispensation in Delhi. 

Incumbent Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, now the NDPP leader, is also a former Congressman and has served as Minister under Congress veteran S C Jamir. 

Patton 

Politics is strange, and that makes it exciting for onlookers, especially  newshounds. 

In 2022 - just a few months before 2023 state assembly elections, Patton showed his element at the Sept 15 meeting at Kohima in presence of BJP national president J P Nadda and insisted that the time was/is "ripe" for an exclusive BJP government in Nagaland. 

Of course the BJP floor leader had his personal ambitions on boot, that's another story altogether. 

In fact, even in 2018 the BJP could have bargained harder and claim chief minister's post. Contesting only 20 seats in the 60-member assembly, it had won 12. Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP (as BJP's ally) contested remaining 40 but could get 18 only. 

On the other hand, the NPF had 27 MLAs. But thanks to poor floor management by Shurhozelie and T R Zeliang, the NPF could not do much and later it split. 

Needless to add, Ram Madhav played a savior of Neiphiu Rio's politics and gave him chief ministership and freehand to run the show in Nagaland.  

The BJP has still remained the B-team of NDPP. 

Amid these, Patton has cultivated the 'one-man angry army' image as a Central Nagaland leader ! 

Three major tribes Lothas, Aos and Sumis form central Nagaland stakeholders.

Patton also courted controversies. 

In 2022, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton had said at a public function on April 19, in Dimapur  that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister

Amit Shah have been urged to announce 'resolution' of the Naga

political problem during Independence Day during a possible visit to the state.

He said separate requests have been made to PM Modi and the Home Minister (Shah) during recent meetings in Delhi between the central leaders and a Naga delegation led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

Patton had said centre's peace emissary A K Mishra is in Nagaland (2022) and

is meeting important stakeholders and various Naga leaders. He said the student leaders and other social organisations should impress upon Mishra

that 'enough is enough' and more than 25 years have been spent on negotiations.

They all should now urge that a final announcement of a solution should be made either by the Prime Minister or the Home Minister by August 15.

Patton also said once elections are over next year, it would not be possible for any state legislator to step aside, according to reports in local newspapers.

These remarks are (were) largely seen as a broad hint about a 'deadline' as Nagaland assembly elections are/were approaching fast and the term of the present state assembly would also end by February-March 2023. (as reported in April 2022)