After the NDPP and NPF merger take place on or after Oct 21st; a few vital questions will have to be revisited perhaps.
One of them will be what will be the role of political parties in Nagaland - who swear by the Constitution of India and who also contest elections conducted by the Election Commission and share power as state's legislators or the lawmakers in Indian Parliament.
The NPF will emerge as a key regional stakeholder not only in Nagaland but also in the overall regional perspective. There will be a few critical questions via-a-vis the long pending Naga peace talks as well.
Not long ago, the NSCN-IM issued a statement and said: “For the Nagas the creation of Nagaland state as a result of manipulation and treachery has been recorded as an act of insult to the freedom fighters in particular and to the Naga people in general.
For such a treacherous act being brought to live in the name of commemorating the formation of Nagaland state we condemn such an act of defiance".
Take a pause; the NPF party's stand has been nuanced and needs to be studied in details. It had said - "If any particular group of people claimed the 16 Point Memorandum (which later became a pact in 1960) as their achievement, can they also admit and claim responsibility for lost of thousands of precious lives after signing of this memorandum?
"Because these issues cannot be separated as one follows the other". The NPF's publication 'Lest We Forget' - revised edition in 2016 also has been categorical --
"The NPF is advocating Solution to the long standing Naga political problem from the Nagaland Legislative Assembly platform because the 16 Point Memorandum failed to bring Solution to the Naga political problem and also failed to stop bloodshed in Nagaland".
The publication made a veiled attack on the Congress party for its "opinion" that the Nagaland State was created through this 16 Point Memorandum and as such, anyone who is against this memorandum cannot and should not be a member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
"This is a very short sighted view...".
Now, once the merger takes place - the NPF will be the BJP ally in Nagaland and the chief minister Neiphiu Rio in all probability will also lead the party as its president.
Rio is apparently obsessed with the idea of becoming NPF president or the legal custodian of the Cock symbol. From 2003 of course he has been the chief minister; but the party's ideologue and commander-in-chief was veteran regionalist Shurhozelie.
But the chief minister in his new capacity will have to strike the right 'balance' in political realm with the BJP -- which unlike between 2003 and 2014 -- is now a different entity.
It is world's largest political party and is headed by the likes of Narendra Modi and a tough and dedicated RSS-follower Amit Shah as the Prime Minister's chief lieutenant.
All these could have been child's play during Congress days. You may simply have to find one Sushilkumar Shinde as S C Jamir used to do and leave rest to the wisdom of the high command. And who was the high command in the 1990s ? - A gentleman called P V Narasimha Rao and whose cherished philosophy was "not to take a decision is also a decision".
Around 2018 - Rio had discovered a great admirer of Sushilkumar Shinde in Ram Madhav too.
It could have been easier even with the BJP of the Vajpayee-Advani era.
But with Amit Shah having the principal say when PM Modi will be obviously more engaged with higher-priority issues such as India-Afghanistan friendship or to check the mood-meter of Donald Trump - the NPF president's cap/turban will be a crown of thorns.
In a piece published in 'Eastern Mirror' -- penned by yours sincerely this blogger -- it was argued rather lucidly that --
"To state that the Naga peace talks have hit a roadblock over the issue of Naga flag and a separate constitution is actually a half truth.
If these twin issues today can derail the basic peace process that began in 1997, it may not be erroneous to suggest that the peace negotiations never took place all these years."
(story was run by news agency IANS)
As it is some questions are being raised about the merger.
Senior Congress leader and AICC member K. Therie has launched a scathing critique on the move accusing both the parties of abandoning their founding principles and surrendering to corruption and communal politics.
“The beautiful cock symbol, once respected, now represents anti-Christianity, a collaborator of Hindutva ideology, and one of the most corrupt parties in the nation,” Therie declared.
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| A popular Baptist church in Rio's bastion Northern Angami hills |
Rio could also face a few tough questions ---
** Why is he insisting on to continue in office when his dispensation since 2018 for all practical purpose could not make any headway towards Solution?
** No less than Home Minister Amit Shah has said in November 2024 that changing negotiators would not make much sense until and unless the state government is able to convince the NSCN-IM leadership.
Now comes a more critical part. That means there is (or will be) no lip service.
In 2020 (when NPF was a strong Opposition party in the state) ....
the NPF led by T R Zeliang had "walked out" from the erstwhile Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF).
On the floor of the assembly, Zeliang had shared how the Central leaders took note of the development and "he and Rio were invited to New Delhi by Union Home Minister Shah".
In the meeting held on October 20, 2020, they (meaning CM Rio and the then Leader of the Opposition T R Zeliang) were told that a proposal was sent to NSCN-IM "ten days back but was rejected".
Subsequently, the centre had asked the two leaders to use all apparatus and convincing power to "convince" the NSCN leadership for an amicable solution.
Hello Sirs - Mr Rio and Mr T R Zeliang -- where's that Solution and what exactly was done to 'convince' the NSCN-IM leadership ?
The incumbent interlocutor A K Mishra, a retired IPS officer, has declined to take any question on these issues.
But here one can mention what T R Zeliang had told the assembly :
The NPF had privilege to lead the opposition-less Government from 2014 to 2018 (that is under him and Shurhozelie briefly) and having witnessed the immense stride that could be achieved in unity among the Legislators endorsed the concept of an opposition-less Government this time too.
“While there are many who are skeptical of the NPF party’s intention, we have time and again made it amply clear that we do not have any hidden agenda nor we are doing so out of desperation to be in the Treasury Bench; the only reason and purpose is to help facilitate the Naga political issue”, Zeliang had maintained.
Final words:
In management teachings, this example is often given.
Ice Cream tastes fabulous; Waffles taste fantastic... put them together - you get a ice cream cone and one may call it Fanta-bulous.
NDPP is great, NPF too is great. In the whole game -- the Congress is like a prankster happy with a side role. And the BJP --- with its Hindutva and 'honesty principles' is P C Sarkar - the great Bengal magician.
ends
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