Few can dispute the assertion made by Late Union Minister and a well known BJP poll strategist Arun Jaitley that the regional parties are "tried, tested and failed forces". This was amply clear in two subsequent Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and 2019. Even in assembly polls in key states such as Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, BJP stole the limelight as a nationalist force sidelining parties such as Samajwadi Party, BSP and Aam Aadmi Party.
Other regional players such as Trinamool Congress and TRS too have their limitations.
Now in Meghalaya, BJP leader L. Michael Kharsyntiew says - "Meghalaya voters should understand what is the point of voting for NPP or any other regional party when a party that is set up in Meghalaya is trying to fight elections in Tripura, Manipur and Nagaland...or Karnataka. Where from they are getting the money?"
His view is that the money or Budget meant for Meghalaya people are getting siphoned off and diverted elsewhere "just for the sake of political ambitions a political party".
Precisely even the Congress party says that the regional parties have failed miserably in Meghalaya.
"We had NPP led by Conrad Sangma and three regional parties including UDP in power...And there was failure because Conrad Sangma government was not able to deliver," says Congress ticket aspirant from East Shillong
Manuel Badwar.
Given these situations, BJP spokesman and a former IPS officer M Kharkrang, told 'Organiser' --- "I have come to the conclusion that among all states ruled by BJP, they have shown immense development. That was something underlined by the Prime Minister's visit on Dec 18".
Thus he says the regional parties have no much future and Meghalaya deserves a nationalist party such as the BJP. He argues that it is truly blessed by people's support and so the saffron party has come a long way in Meghalaya and will do well in February 2023 polls.
People have realised BJP's potentials in bringing developmental revolution, he says.
His party colleague Michael says --
"Under NPP Chief Minister Conrad Sangma corruption flourished. But more than the political parties...people have to understand how things have moved. People should realise that what is being provided from Delhi for Meghalaya is indirectly going out to other states. It is a joke that a party is in power for four years and now they are constructing a party office by spending more than Rs 15 crore".
Thus, the BJP is determined to fight the regional parties.
The cycle of democracy has again shut the floodgates of opportunities for regional forces.
The opportunistic games to play up their anti-BJP and anti-Congress politics on their sleeves – depending on what suits them where will no longer work.
Of course most regional parties particularly in northeast feel Congress cannot fight the powerful electoral juggernaut of the BJP.
An important point is the ‘Modi Magic’ is helping the saffron outfit to sail through all along. The developmental mission of BJP and PM"s inclusive growth trajectory gel well with local candidates and the local conditions in Nagaland and Meghalaya.
In other words people of north east may not allow corruption and non performance in the name of regional aspirations to shine in the heat and dust of electoral battle.
On the other hand regional forces are not able to come together in any unity of purpose.
In Nagaland two regional parties in the state NDPP and Naga People's Front (NPF) are no longer keen for once initiated move of merger.
In Meghalaya, political observers say the regional party UDP is poised to do well this time. "UDP won seven seats in 2018...and they could have won at least 15 seats easily in next year's polls. But there is something called crab syndrome and the infighting will prevent UDP from doing well," says a local nalyst Samuel Manoj.
In March 2022 assembly polls too, BJP did well in Manipur and all its rivals the Congress and regional parties NPF and NPP could not achievev as they had hoped.
The developments forced both the Chief Ministers Neiphiu Rio and Conrad Sangma to work to ensure their own survival in Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively.
The big brother approach of the Congress was dangerous for regional parties for long and now the BJP's Mission Development is eroding their space.
Regional forces thus no longer make much of political significance in several states.
In Andhra Pradesh, the YSR Congress party is a potent force now but faces BJP.
In Telangana, the TRS is a genuine
competitor to both the Congress and the BJP.
The ‘Telangana pride’ and new found statehood in 2014 had rewarded the TRS earlier. TRS supremo KCR could prove the prophets of doom wrong and win as
many as 88 seats in 119-member assembly. The outfit’s voteshare saw a quantum leap from 34.3 per cent to
46.9 per cent. But unlike 2024, the BJP will give TRS a strong fight.
KCR has changed his party's name to Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi but how much will such a gimmick work.
The same anti-Congress sentiment actually is on work in parts of Meghalaya. Former Congress chief minister
Mukul Sangma, a popular mass level leader in Tura hills, decided to quit the grand old party and joined Mamata Baneree's
Trinamool Congress last year. Sources close to him say, he got the 'on ground feedback' that the Congress would be
decimated in next year's assembly polls due February 2023.
In Tura region of Garo tribe, incumbent Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma runs NPP. His sister Agatha is
Lok Sabha member from the region. In other words, Tura region is all set for fight between two Garo 'sons of the soil' and
regional titans Mukul Sangma and Conrad.
Things do not end with these alone. Five Congress legislators - all from Khasi tribe from mainland Shillong region -
have now deserted the grand old party.
Two of them have joined the NPP already.
Ends
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