All eyes on 'Eastern Nagaland' issue: Amit Shah to visit three poll-bound states

New Delhi 

Latest report suggests Home Minister may be in Nagaland on Jan 6 only for 2 hours

Home Minister Amit Shah is slated to visit three-poll bound states of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura. Sources said he is likely to visit Nagaland and Manipur on Jan 6 and BJP-ruled Tripura on January 5th. These visits are being linked to both administrative works and BJP's initial rounds of works -- 'Prawas' (Home Stays)' for the 2024 parliamentary polls.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek a hat-trick in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. 

Shah's visit to various states across India will also include Karnataka, which goes to polls in April-May this year and also West Bengal wherein the saffron party will try to go for the kill to win more parliamentary seats in 2024.

 In 2019, the saffron outfit had surprised its friends and foes alike and picked up as many as 18 seats. 

In 2021 assembly polls, though Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee returned to power, the BJP has emerged as the principal opposition party whereas to the stunning surprise of many the communists and Congress were reduced to zero each in the assembly. 

The Congress is likely to work out a poll alliance with the Left Front in Tripura, wherein the BJP could oust the Manik Sarkar regime in 2018.

Shah's visit to Manipur and Nagaland are considered important in more ways than one. About the Nagaland visit, the Home

Minister had assured the Eastern Nagaland Public Organisation (ENPO) on December 6th. He is likely to

visit Tuensang town -- the hub of Eastern Nagaland -- wherein the demand for carving out a separate state has been rekindled.

An official team led by retired Intelligence Bureau official A K Mishra visited the Tuensang region last month. Mishra is set to meet ENPO leaders in Guwahati on Jan 5 -- that is one day before Home Minister's visit to Nagaland.

During his stay in Nagaland, Shah is likely to meet BJP office bearers and legislators. Several local leaders were not happy with central high command decision to play a second fiddle to regional NDPP led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. There is strong anti incumbency mood Chiefly for alleged corruption and non delivery on Solution against Rio regime.

In Manipur, all eyes will be on Shah's meeting with civil society groups including from tribal belt in the hills.

A substantial Naga tribes including Tangkhuls reside in the hilly region of Manipur. The centre is keen to

ink a final peace pact with Naga ultras. While the Naga National Political Group (NNPG) is keen

to ink the agreement to end the political/insurgency issue, the NSCN-IM is still stuck to its twin demands

for a flag and separate Naga constitution.  The NSCN-IM leader aging Thuingaleng Muivah is himself a Tangkhul.

Amit Shah is also likely to visit Uttar Pradesh on January 15-16 and Chhattisgarh on Jan 7th.

Two Christian-dominated

states of Meghalaya and Nagaland and also in another BJP-ruled Tripura -- which also accounts for a substantial

number of tribal and Christian voters will go to polls next month. 

The just concluded polls and next year's elections in three northeastern states and also Mizoram and also Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and also in Karnataka and Telangana will set the ball rolling for 2024 general elections.

Ensuing polls will be more than serious in Meghalaya. In Tripura, which was once a communist forte,

the saffron party will hope for an easier contest with rivals Congress and CPI-M marginalised.

In Meghalaya, BJP’s mega promise is to provide a corruption-free government focused on people’s socio economic development. The hilly state of nearly 3 million people has 75 percent Christian population and yet the BJP has been gaining ground. BJP's national vice president and in-charge Meghalaya is a Naga veteran M Chuba Ao. 

A Christian himself Ao is confident of a much better show this time in Meghalaya as compared to two-seats win in 2018.

Many Nagas or Meghalaya people see merits in

the pro-Hindutva BJP presuming this will accelerate their development. 

Congress is hardly in the battle scene.

ends 

 All eyes on 'Eastern Nagaland' issue: Amit Shah to visit three poll-bound states

New Delhi 

It could be election season in northeastern states of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland; but the issue of creation of a new state of 'Eastern Nagaland' shows things were badly handled for over six decades by the Congress both in the centre and in the region.

In 2023, Congress is hardly in the battle scene, but the issue lingers. 

Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit to Manipur and Nagaland on January 6th. 

These are considered important in more ways than one. About his Nagaland visit, the Home Minister had assured the Eastern Nagaland Public Organisation (ENPO) leaders on December 6th during their New Delhi meet. He is likely to visit Tuensang town -- the strategically placed border district with Myanmar and hub of Eastern Nagaland -- wherein the demand for carving out a separate state has been rekindled.

An official team led by retired Intelligence Bureau official A K Mishra visited the Tuensang region last month. 

Mishra is now set to meet ENPO leaders in Guwahati on Jan 5 -- that is one day before Home Minister's visit 

to Nagaland.

During his stay in Nagaland, Shah is likely to meet BJP office bearers and legislators. Several local leaders were 

not happy with central high command decision to play a second fiddle to regional NDPP led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. 

There is strong anti incumbency mood chiefly for alleged corruption and non delivery on Naga political

Solution against Rio regime.

In Manipur, all eyes will be on Shah's meeting with civil society groups including from tribal belt in the hills.

A substantial Naga tribes including Tangkhuls reside in the hilly region of Manipur. The centre is keen to

ink a final peace pact with Naga ultras. While the Naga National Political Group (NNPG) is also keen

to ink the agreement to end the political/insurgency issue, the NSCN-IM is still stuck to its twin demands

for a flag and separate Naga constitution.  The NSCN-IM leader aging Thuingaleng Muivah is himself a Tangkhul.

Two Christian-dominated states of Meghalaya and Nagaland and also in another BJP-ruled Tripura -- which also 

accounts for a substantial number of tribal and Christian voters will go to polls next month.

In Tripura, which was once a communist forte, the saffron party will hope for an easier contest with rivals 

Congress and CPI-M marginalised.

In Meghalaya, BJP’s mega promise is to provide a corruption-free government focused on people’s socio 

economic development. The hilly state of nearly 3 million people has 75 percent Christian population and 

yet the BJP has been gaining ground. 

In January, Home Minister Shah is also set to Karnataka, which goes to polls in April-May this

year and also Chhattisgarh where polls will be held in November-December along with Rajasthan, Madhya

Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram.

Shah could visit West Bengal too wherein the saffron party will try to go for the kill to win more parliamentary seats in 2024.

 In 2019, the saffron outfit had surprised its friends and foes alike and picked up as many as 18 seats.

In 2021 assembly polls, though Trinamool Congress under Mamata Banerjee returned to power, the BJP has emerged

as the principal opposition party whereas to the stunning surprise of many the communists and Congress were reduced to

zero each in the assembly. 

ends