Of NDPP & NPF, Shurhozolie's outfit may have the last laugh
New Delhi
There are always two types of politics. One - based on cadres and support base -
ideology would be on the driving seat. The other one is ministerial sponsorship.
Between NPF and NDPP, there is little gainsay to observe that the latter is all about
being in power. Without power-politics, the party floated in 2017 could vanish into oblivion.
It is always a journalist's delight to track how the NPF-NDPP relationship and mutual existences of both the outfits have come to this current stage. One can talk about strategic competitions too but for most periods since 2018 even the competition has been 'managed'.
Sadly, all that happened under the nose of veteran and committed regionalist Shurhozelie. Of course the NPF had come to power in 2003 with the support of 'defectors' who left Congress ostensibly to register their protest against S C Jamir, a veteran Congressman.
Thus regionalists plus opportunists formed the new dispensation in 2003 and it has ruled for long.
The term opportunists should not be viewed in a negative sense as that's also the pragmatists' lot.
But now to deal with a more serious question on which among these two parties will survive the general elections of 2023 one can apply political analysis. Neither astrology nor psephology can be our guide.
If elections are held with the so-called 'opposition-less' regime in power, the NPF will have a tough time even touching half-a-dozen marks. Who knows, even the BJP may face a much tougher situation and they could end up with two-three 'NDPP loyalists' winning.
But if polls are genuine and influences of 'M' factor are curtailed; the traditional regionalist NPF will have the last laugh. Readers may take the liberty of analysing the 'M' factor on their own.
Of course, some of it would be analysed by some agencies like 'ED' and some by India's military and Election Commission.
Am I sounding too negative or sarcastic about NDPP - a party which attracted the 'innocuous 21 peace workers' recently?
If the NDPP finds itself on a not so strong wicket (politically and morally as a combo), it has only itself to blame. Why?
The problem with the NDPP is exactly the problem the Congress party faces in other states. If there are no ministers around, the Congress offices in some of the states give deserted looks like a destroyed 'orphanage'.
I have been witness to such offices in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Tripura, West Bengal and even some parts of Delhi in the last few years.
Despite such grim situations, select English media and websites and some even from Hindi and vernacular journalism never failed to project the great potentials of dynastic talent in the Congress.
With NDPP, of course two misleading things are not around. One, there are no dynastic games and also the chances of media influencing voters' minds is quite negligible in Nagaland.
There may be social media. But there are competitions and detractors. Hence the NDPP leadership has to rethink over some assembly segments where Chief Minister's kins - directly or indirectly - are in the game.
NDPP's story has been like a bus of daily commuters. While Chief Minister Rio himself has the Congress legacy and also a legacy of deserting the same Congress in 1990, Chingwang Konyak despite all his good intentions in politics has been a party hopper.
Among other leaders, let's take good friend Alemtemshi Jamir. He lost in 2018 - not one, but from two constituencies.
But he had to be given a position. Of course, former civil servants like him are always an asset to the talent pool.
This came to light when he lately organised a mega economic conclave. It came a little late in the day.
In the last five years, the NDPP leaders did not try to build up the party at the organisational level. This was more exemplified as there were no internal problems in the party after G-21 guests were embraced.
Normally, party's office bearers would have been displeased in at least 21 blocks if not all the 21 assembly segments.
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| Rio faces tough time, but he has experience |
The G-21 including their leader T R Zeliang did not switch over out of any love for NDPP. A top NDPP leader said, "Even from our side more than the love, we had compulsions to embrace them".
Words had spread that they could open up channels with the BJP. From Delhi of course, the saffron camp was not very enthusiastic.
On June 29, Chief Minister Rio's former compatriot and now a bitter rival, Kewekhape Therie wrote on Facebook - "Will not be surprised if NDPP joins BJP".
He meant 'merger' !
In the ultimate analysis, it's not the case of two 'fools hardly differ' - me and Mr Therie as in days to come, we may sound 'great men' thinking alike !
Therie's Facebook one-liner actually had coincided with a few latent movements.
Some in the Nagaland BJP are waiting with their arms open to embrace it. Thus, the NPF of Shurhozelie and Azo combine may be the last regionalist outfit around. I am sure it will not come to power in 2023 though.
Well, between Congress, NDPP and BJP - they all are co-travelers. Some probable BJP leaders have probably already ordered a few designer-saffron kurtas and joined a refresher course in Hindi.
Late Vamuzo had angrily called them 'habitual defectors'. Namo-stey !
ends
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