BJP's political mess and Rio's governance challenges
New Delhi/Dimapur
All eyes will be on the Nagaland BJP core committee's meeting slated for Sunday, May 1, at Dimapur.
The meeting will be attended also by BJP general secretary Tarun Chugh, who is on a three-day tour of the state.
The meeting obviously assumes significance in the wake of political upheaval - but on expected lines - that 21 NPF legislators have joined the NDPP led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. With this new 'number game' move, the Rio camp has made BJP aggrieved and left in the lurch.
Rio may not immediately drop BJP ministers, but he will no longer take the tantrums. The message is clear, the Northern Angami man is keen to take on the 'mighty BJP'.
The saffron party has been incidentally already in a political mess in Nagaland with key leaders
sidelined and most did not know what has been going around. While Deputy CM Y Patton focused
on legislative politics, often embarrassing CM Rio, the state president Temjen Imna Along's
image has been 'pro-Neiphiu Rio'.
The BJP leaders in Delhi admit from time to time that "We have 'extended NDPP loyalists' and this often
made organisational works difficult". The central BJP did not like to interfere much. One reason being, they
admired Rio's typical 'anti-Congress' politics and the manner the state was made 'Congress-free'. Perhaps
the first Indian state where Congress quickly lost relevance.
But now things have changed and the saffron party has to look for a new president to ensure its
forward march.
"We are looking for a man with the right political acumen and the search is on," says one leader in Delhi.
Previously, Ram Madhav and now Nalin Kohli as in-charge for Nagaland did not inspire 'much inspiration'
for the organisation to grow.
Chugh's visit is significant as he is there in Nagaland at the directives of BJP national president J P Nadda and
senior colleague B L Santhosh. He landed in Dimapur within days centre's emissary A K Mishra also met
key movers and shakers of peace talks.
Some names doing the rounds for new state unit chief are Dr Sukhato Sema, Temsu Wati, Hurui Zeliang and
Kevechutso Doulo.
Each one has merits but there are demerits also. "Either some lack political acumen, others have issues like
Hurie being from a minority tribe," one source explained.
Doulo hails from Phek district - a traditional bastion of regionalists. He contested more than once
and is a strong proponent of BJP's ideologies.
'The unique constitutional system of Indian democracy makes it a fabulous one....
Many Nagas contributed exceptional accomplishments for India, within the Framework of the
Indian Constitution," he made a loaded statement in a newspaper article including in 'Nagaland Page'.
One section of BJP suggests the post should go either to a Sema or an Ao. The debate goes on.
On the other hand, though Rio has fought a political game with display of skills and resources so far,
the Chief Minister has major governance issues and most under his tenure since 2003.
The salaries are reaching government employees late. 'Nagaland Page' exposed some of the failures in a recent article.
(see Link : https://nagalandpage.com/delayed-salaries-to-govt-employees-indicates-states-precarious-financial-situation/)
Even with NDPP, some voices have tried to raise a few embarrassing facts. In Lok Sabha, lawmaker Tokheho
Yepthomi raised the issue of Medical Colleges and central funding. The centre's response that Rs 171 crore was released in 2019 itself allegedly 'exposed' some skeletons of governance.
Are funds being diverted to escape RBI embargo? Even otherwise things look clumsy. Nagaland has the highest number of government employees - around 1,30,000 eating up 70 percent of the state Plan fund.
Can Rio - in an election mode now - bell the cat ?
BJP leader Chugh says he is there to 'strengthen' the organisation and not work out electoral strategy. This is also a significant viewpoint.
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Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio prepares for politics beyond BJP, gets 21 'additional' NPF legislators
Thus, anytime the government of India can say either it will allow an interim-alternative arrangement or even impose President's Rule to facilitate fresh elections and 'participation' of the ultra groups in democratic process.
#Nagaland cm
@Neiphiu_Rio
prepares for politics beyond #BJP gets 21 #NPF Legislators...will BJP counter that by #President's Rule ??
The single biggest take away is back to basics. Regionalism is the new flavour in northeast politics.
And importantly, NDPP leader and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is willing to take on the mighty BJP.
But has Rio in the process given an armour to his detractors to demand President's Rule ?
IANS Live Link
The merger of as many as 21 MLAs led by former Chief Minister T R Zeliang, onetime Neiphiu Rio's acolyte-turned-foe-now turned friend, came within hours Naga People's Front chief Shurhozelie announced that there will not be any merger between NPF and NDPP at the organisational level.
Well, Nagaland is back with its well-known political head hunting or head counting games.
As many as 21 Naga People's Front (NPF) legislators on Friday quit the party and decided to merge with another regional outfit Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
"A letter dated 29/4/2022 has been received from the President of NDPP (Chingwang Konyak) accepting the merger," a communication from the state assembly said at Kohima.
The issue is not how much big the setback is for Shurhozelie, the veteran regionalist, or even the NPF; the real issue is the NDPP and especially Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio's relationship with the BJP.
Now about 45-48 MLAs are with Rio in the 60-member and so will he continue to need
support of 12 BJP legislators ? Or why should he entertain the tantrums of BJP leaders ?
Earlier this year, the NPF had formally requested NDPP to merge with the party and even asked
Chief Minister Rio to 'lead' the new party.
“We are extending invitation to the CM Neiphiu Rio and his MLAs to come together, as there is a desire by one and all among the Naga family that regional party of NPF and NDPP should come to an understanding /together,” a spokesman of NPF had said in January.
It was understood that Rio was keen for such a game only if he is given organisational leadership that is presidentship of the new regional party. Veteran regionalist and traditionally a non-Congress leader Shurhozelie was disinclined to give up the organisational leadership of the new regional force to Rio, who was once a prominent Congress face in the state politics.
For all practical purposes, both the parties NDPP and NPF were already working with
a unity of purpose. The NPF legislators gave up their opposition cloak recently and extended support to the NDPP-BJP government.
While Nagaland had an opposition-less government, NPF leader T R Zeliang was designated as
the chairman of UDA - comprising NDPP, BJP and NPF.
But Rio still has multiple challenges at hands. Firstly, perhaps the centre considers he failed or was not much
inclined to convince NSCN (IM) leader Thuingaleng Muivah to give up the twin demands of Naga Flag
and a separate Naga Constitution.
These issues are stalling the peace process in Nagaland and the final peace pact would be a major
milestone for the Modi government.
There are central BJP leaders who suggest Rio's alleged nexus with NSCN (IM) is "not just an
allegation" as the influence of gun and money have been critical instruments during elections in
Nagaland way back starting from 2003.
The then Congress chief minister S C Jamir had first alleged in 2003 that Nationalist Socialist Council of
Nagaland (NSCN-IM) had intimidated voters in certain areas as electioneering for the February 26 (2003)
state Assembly polls.
There is now a pending Enforcement Directorate alleged 'money laundering' case against five of CM Rio's associates. This can be opened up anytime and given somewhat embarrassing twist, his detractors say.
Already five people have been summoned for questioning by the ED and the Gauhati High Court
has declined to put a stay on the same. Of course, this episode has lately added to Rio's nervousness.
Technically, the BJP leaders in Nagaland do not have much ground or any tool to fight the machinations of Rio and his number game (getting support of 21 NPF additional MLAs). But some Nagaland BJP leaders making a few frantic calls to the central leaders.
Some feel the demand for imposition of President's Rule on some pretexts is not ruled out. There is also an exceptional situation. That is related to the Naga peace talks, which are at final stage.
Thus, anytime the government of India can say either it will allow an interim-alternative arrangement or'even impose President's Rule to facilitate fresh elections and 'participation' of the ultra groups in democratic process.
Regional forces make a lot of political significance in Nagaland and other northeastern states.
In the past, the big brother approach of Congress was dangerous, and now the BJP going the same way.
In Manipur, the BJP's strategy on the eve of elections earlier this year has irked regional partner
NDPP in Nagaland and even NPP in Meghalaya.
The BJP booted out NPP and NPF from its alliance and later contested all 60 seats to come to power on its own.
Obviously the apprehension is the saffron party will try the same game in Nagaland and possibly in Meghalaya
also.
Both the Chief Ministers Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland and Conrad Sangma in Meghalaya have been working with the BJP so far to ensure their own survival. But the nervousness prevails.
.
Nervousness often forces one to take assertive stance in politics.
Lately, Rio took away the portfolio of Roads and Bridges from Deputy CM and BJP floor leader in the assembly Y Patton.
An aggrieved Patton was offered the additional portfolio of Land Resources by Rio later. This offer was strongly rejected by Deputy CM Patton, who said he was not keen to take an additional portfolio from his own BJP colleague and minister Paiwang Konyak.
Showing clear hints that NDPP-BJP differences have widened one key BJP Nagaland leader had said - "It was a double game employed by Chief Minister Rio. The Department of Land Resources is with another BJP Minister, Paiwang Konyak, and so Patton has done the right thing by rejecting it. We cannot take each other's portfolio and allow the NDPP to enjoy the larger size of the cake".
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