New Delhi
"It is not the business of reason to generate emotions...,"
- The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russel
"Yes, I went to Chakhesang Church, Kohima for Sunday Service," said Kevechutso Doulo, BJP's ticket aspirant for Chizami seat.
It is paradoxical that lot of Naga BJP leaders and ticket aspirants -- and Christians - went for Sunday service in community churches across Nagaland on Sunday, Jan 29.
At least a few known leaders certainly might have prayed for the crucial tickets to contest assembly polls from a party which is alleged in more ways than one for pushing its so-called Hindutva agenda.
In 2018 assembly elections, in many assembly segments church leaders in Nagaland allegedly in their 'official' roles or as private citizens took active part trying to convince the Naga voters that they should stay away from the saffron party.
In some assembly elections, analyses later revealed that the tilt by the electorate was at the last minute and hence even the victory margins were very narrow. In Pughoboto assembly segment Dr A Sukhato, a medico and who runs Faith Hospital in Dimapur, lost by a narrow margin of 70 votes only.
He is in news this year too and so is his little known constituency Pughoboto. The BJP's much trusted
ally NDPP led by Neiphiu Rio - arguably a friend of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and a fan of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi - now wants to snatch away that seat for the sitting legislator Y Vikheho Swu.
Dr Sukhato has been working hard in the constituency for last five years and so he finds is one-upmanship unacceptable. Worse there is a major row related to the seat vis-a-vis alleged interference by the NSCN-IM. Both the militant outfit and the Chief Minister Rio have denied the charge nevertheless.
The retired Principal Director of Nagaland Dept of Health Services, Dr Sukhato on Sunday resorted to the last available option -- prayers to Jesus.
"Prayer & declaration of my candidature for Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections @ Kitami Village on 29th Jan, 2023," he tweeted along with a few snaps.
There is another such BJP ticket aspirant and a hardcore soldier of the saffron party - Kevechutso Doulo. In 2018, Doulo lost the seat by a narrow margin of only 403 votes and so he and his supporters want him to go for another shot.
For Doulo, wearing BJP cap did not come easy. He needed utmost conviction in himself and in the 'nationalistic' ideologies of BJP because his assembly segment Chizami that falls in Tenyimi belt remains typically wedded to 'regionalism' and it is most often difficult for a party like BJP to make
penetration in the area.
In fact, Doulo was the only Tenyimi leader in 2018 to sweat it out at the polls on BJP ticket.
Now an interesting and common feature between both Dr Sukhato and Doulo is that both have come
to the BJP via regional party route. Dr Sukhato after retirement in 2017 had joined NDPP then floated
with Rio's 'encouragement' and it was led by veteran Chingwang Konyak. But on the eve of polls,
he quit Rio's outfit and embraced the principles of the Lotus party.
"I have immense faith in the leadership of PM Modi because it is only a determined man like him who can
solve the Naga problem," Dr Sukhato told this journalist in 2019 when he was planning to try for
presidentship of the BJP in Nagaland.
With Doulo, his typical native 'Chakhesang tribe instinct' has worked to bring him to the BJP fold.
But he too believes only the phenomenon of Moditva can help his people and resolve the vexed Naga
issue.
"I also understand the strategic importance of my state, and the overall geo-political security scenario.
My understanding of BJP's relevance to Nagaland is also focused on that perspective," he says.
"I saw regional politics from close range. I was with NPF when Rio and likes of K Therie worked together in 2003. I traveled across many parts of the state. We won elections in 2003 but I realised the limitation of a regional party. Our people deserves a better way to connect to the mainstream India and the world. The BJP's vision has that," Doulo told this blogger.
A voracious reader of history and politics, occasionally Doulo pens articles paying gratitude to Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and policies.
Last year he wrote, ”Time and again, the people’s spirit and yearnings for liberty, inclusion, and pluralism have
triumphed in this country. The incoming President (Droupadi Murmu) is a tribal and a woman, making us all
feel more proud of the momentous occasion”.
The moot point is Nagas are also emotional. What could happen if these 'dedicated BJP soldiers' are today
denied the opportunity to contest merely because the rivals (NDPP) on the garb of being friends want to take away
their "two winnable" seats?
This question is being posed by many BJP watchers in Nagaland. The basic reason is the BJP is not taking the
decision, the NDPP and Chief Minister Rio are. Recently, posters and banner came out against Nagaland BJP
president Temjen Imna Along --who is more often seen as being pro-Neiphiu Rio.
The BJP workers' refrain being for a seat like Chizami in Phek district, the NDPP wants this segment only to
prevent saffron party's entry into the Tenyimi belt.
But shrewdly the NDPP has tried to now do a cover up. Riohas offered Kohima town seat to the BJP. But for this
seat, the saffron party may find only a weak candidate. Moreover, there is political rumour that a close relative
of Chief Minister is eyeing this seat as an Independent candidate.
Wheels-within-wheels is a powerful English phrase and it is more in electoral politics.
ends
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