Naga Solution ..... Will Hohos Summit bite the cake?

People's choices Vs Choice of 'NDPP Plus'

"Ami khan mota asey na maiki...", recalling Bangjak Phom....'Eight or Eighty do not matter: Greed matters'... watch for this space

New Delhi/Kohima

The eight Hohos Summit in Dimapur on Tuesday, Jan 17, may change the course of the entire game or keep it on track and take the long battle to its logical end.

The initiatives of putting pressure on the centre and also the Naga stakeholders that is the NSCN-IM and the NNPG was taken up for sometime by the Nagaland People's Action Committee (NPAC). 

But the 'Bandh' call for Jan 14 and later the move to call it off has created a great division in opinion and now the Tribal Hohos have taken back the "reins" in their own hands.

The NPAC is only a creation of the tribal Hohos and civil leaders and now the "entrepreneurship" (read ownership) will come into play in real sense. The eight tribal Hohos will have to show they are united and yet taking a stance to resolve the long pending Naga political problem. Without doubt it is a tough call.

Things have become more complicated and complex because among others the NDPP leadership and also the Kohima's power politics structures will keep a hawk's eyes on what spans out in Tuesday's meeting.

A section of motley small crowd-NPF is already in the NDPP grip. 

The Kohima 'power players' were obviously not at all happy with the NPAC calling the Bandh and slowly some tribal leaders also said the NPAC cannot dictate terms to leaders who created the body itself. 

Now, comes the meaty part of the story. A few individual tribal Hoho leaders will be under close watch as they are known for being soft towards NDPP leaders for various reasons. Sumi Hoho leaders also have good contacts here and there. 

All eyes are also on Ao Senden and its president Chubawati Longchar. He hails from politically crucial Alongtaki assembly segment where the BJP could announce a big surprise to the pleasure of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and for the success of "very successful and very purposeful NDPP-BJP alliance (sic)", the seat may go to the NDPP kitty. Really? In politics there is never the last word.

But BJP's incumbent president Temjen Imna Along was so 'effective' player for Kohima's power structures and his sacrifice of assembly seat can be easily rewarded by Lok Sabha entry or something or the other.   

So, the 'different ranges' of Aos do know how to pursue the future strategy vis-a-vis Naga Solution -- a Bandh or another kind of protest or simply a run-of-the-mill kind metaphysical statement -- "we all want the Solution, and it is the Modi government which is not doing enough". 

Our 'Kohima man' is already smiling.

After the Bandh call by NPAC was withdrawn much to the pleasure of the government in Kohima and also Delhi (as EC's visit was on), reportedly there was still a strong voice that had come from the Lotha Hoho. But as we understand, one or two tribes cannot push the larger game of Nagaland 'protest' for not signing a final peace pact. 

As of now the stance of Angami Public Organisation and Chakhesang Public Organisation are more or less known.

Smaller tribe groups like Rengma and Zeliangrongs will never desert the two elder brothers. So where are we heading?

The public voice and clamour for an early Solution was well articulated by the NPAC on more than one occasion and the moves had solid backing from tribal leaders and also Gaon Burrah Federation and individual Naga leaders.

Last year when a rally for Solution was organised at Dimapur even Rev V K Nuh and Dr Hokishe Yepthomi and many others reportedly came. On Jan 6, the slogan/banner protest during Home Minister Amit Shah's visit was timely and the message had gone to Delhi stalwarts crystal clear.

There were efforts made by 'state agencies' to even stall such banner displays and only after the intervention of a top civil servant things were normalised. 

Now, it is for the Hohos and the eight community leadership to show their 'teeth' -- the 'teeth' that will really bite the cake.

The run-up to the coming elections and its result will demonstrate whether the head start the NDPP has in its use of 'resources' make bigger sense than what the choice of the common voters is.

ends