Rio's son-in-law and a former legislator Neiphrezo Keditsu once disapproved opposition-less regime
New Delhi/Kohima
This may be the time of the year to accept greetings of the season from near and dear ones and also from far distance.
But the festive season of 2022 coincides with the pre-electoral season for the battle of 2023. In 2017 -- just on the eve of assembly polls, state's most surviving regional party split at organisational level and with a few disgruntled leaders -- the NDPP was born.
The NPF is India's second oldest regional party after DMK in Tamil Nadu.
Five years hence, the NDPP now makes news. In the capital town there is wild speculation on who would be contesting from the state's ruling party in Kohima.
Incumbent MLA Dr Nicky Kire is an old friend of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. Even Nicky's brother - a senior police official - was a friend of the incumbent Chief Minister. But 'family man' politics has cropped up slowly.
Cat often remains good in a box !! CM Rio
Of course CM Rio celebrated his birthday this year -- Nov 11 - with his second son-in-law's wedding!
But the man in news or at least amid 'speculation' is the first son-in-law -- Neiphrezo Keditsu.
Reportedly he has evinced interest to contest ensuing polls from Kohima Town assembly segment.
The rumour industry says -- more in the tongue-in-cheek fashion and in a lighter vein remark - Neiphrezo has threatened to contest from Northern II if the NDPP and the party's real boss Rio does not back him for Kohima.
He represented Northern Angami II briefly when Rio had moved to Delhi as the lawmaker.
Neiphrezo Keditsu polled 9,909 votes in 2014 by polls making about 59 percent of vote share while BJP's Visasolie Lhoungu bagged 6,864 votes. Visasolie, who hailed from Dihoma village, later also became BJP president.
Incidentally, Visasolie commanded quite a good popularity as his village has only little over 1000 votes.
The entire episode that has unfolded now could be a political drama also and the 'family man' equations suggest Neiphrezo may contest as an Independent in Kohima Town.
But as CM's prestige is at stake, he would 'certainly' like to win the seat.
Moreover, Rio will not be able to give up his own political interest in Northern Angami II. His brother Zhaleo is
already representing Ghaspani II.
And here, there is no reason for him to give up too.
Thus, amid winter, the political weather conditions have come alive in Kohima town.
But there is a big-time 'Bara Bosti' factor. Dr Kire hails from Bara Bosti and so does
Rio's 2017-18 bitter rival, Shurhozelie. So how would things span out?
'Bara Bosti' or Kohima village has a sense of ownership vis-a-vis Kohima
town as their 'land' is at stake. Hence all four Khels in Bara Bosti could
come into play against Neiphrezo Keditsu.
Not long back K V Keditsu represented Kohima town but then the tussle
in the 1990s was not much about Bara Bosti's prestige. Neiphrezo hails from
a Northern Angami II Chiechama village and so it could be a little
difficult for the Chief Minister's elder son-in-law to make it from Kohima Town.
But importantly for CM Rio, his village Touphema is smaller than his son-in-law's hamlet.
There are 5000 voters in Chiechama and there are only 3500 voters in Rio's village.
Paradoxically, another son-in-law of yesteryear's N Chandrababu Naidu from Andhra
Pradesh has made waves in media and social media as he addressed people with tears
rolling down his cheeks. Naidu's plea was that in 2024 he may face his last election and so he
needs to get people's approval to oust Jagan Mohan Reddy in Andhra Pradesh.
Naidu will be remembered as a good organiser who had toppled his father-in-law,
the legendary N T Rama Rao by gathering a group of defectors.
The moral of the lesson, - a 'son-in-law' can inherit the political legacy of the dad-in-law but
only by finishing or writing his own political obituary.
These are early days to draw any conclusion in Nagaland politics. But Neiphrezo Keditsu's friends
in Delhi in a pre-Christmas party in 2021 could extract a quote (informal) from him on the so-called
'opposition-less' government.
"In principle and in my personal capacity, I do not approve of such a coalition...There must be an
opposition in parliamentary democracy," he had remarked casually. If that's a political line and
that's out of political commitment -- kindly do not blame the helpless journalist --- a mere fly on the wall.
ends
No comments:
Post a Comment