New Delhi
This piece can begin like a traditional story. Once upon a time there was a man called Pius Lotha, and he brought the BJP into Nagaland; but now he is forgotten and an ex-saffron leader.
Nagaland BJP's first convener had all the qualities of a shrewd politician who could read the pulse well - years back. But Pius Lotha's problem was perhaps impatience, or nobody understood him well and hence today he is not quite the part of a grand journey of the Lotus party in the state.
'Nagaland Page'
My acquaintance with him goes back to the 1990-91 era when the saffron party had started glimpses of its potential at the national level but still was far off in Nagaland - a state which pledges to uphold Christian values. Hence, a pro-Hindutva outfit had no chance to make deeper inroads.
I interviewed him for Kohima-based 'The Weekly Journal' in April 1991. Not many of the present BJP limelight were much concerned about what went in the BJP and even in Nagaland politics those days.
A few questions and Pius Lotha's responses are worth looking back with all nostalgic sentiment.
On the tag 'communal' party on BJP, Pius Lotha had said - "The BJP is not a communal
party. It has been branded communal because of vested interest of other parties. We are not
against any community. Political mudslinging ....". (The Weekly Journal, Kohima, April 24, 1991)
Among other things, I had asked him - "What are the issues you are taking to the electorate in
Nagaland?"
Pius responded saying - "In Nagaland, corruption is rampant. We promise to eradicate this cancerous
problem to foster full-scale development. We are for national integration and against opportunism".
Essentially, not much has changed. One could still be asking the same set of questions.
Paradoxically, even responses could be almost similar or may be modestly different when it comes to corruption. The 2023 elections are round the corner and hectic politicking has started. How confident is BJP?
How confident are top leaders and chances of their return?
About one leader holding a key post, Kohima meeting on Aug 25 in presence of B L Santhosh had a bombshell.
Not much should be written as of now except that the 'key leader' is from central Nagaland.
But the Aug 25 deliberations threw in a few important missives. The saffron party should strengthen its organisational structures and once this is ensured the party high command could even oblige those who are against 20:40 formula.
Presiding over one meeting on Thursday evening, Santhosh did the right thing by asking who among the leaders and intending candidates had joined BJP -- prior to 2010, after 2010 and round 2014-15 and subsequently in 2018.
There was also Supu Jamir from Dimapur II -- who was NDPP candidate in 2018. He was welcomed into BJP on Aug 23.
So, the BJP general secretary, Organisation, had many BJP leaders and 'future ministers'; but how many were 'hard liner politicians' ?
Pressure would mount on the other side.
An elected CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's 'dangoriya' role could come into play once again.
Journalists and politicians are always strange bedfellows. Our friendship also gets jaundiced.
A few BJP leaders are at times the NDPP's best hope. Late Vamuzo used to smile around when we teased - 'Divide Congress, and Rule'.
Not much has changed, Ghulam Nabi Azad can oblige Narendra Modi.
Can we replace the word 'Congress' with the BJP to get into Nagaland of 2022 ?
ends
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