New Delhi
Discarded by the BJP, former state unit vice president Dr A. Sukhato has decided to contest from Pughoboto on LJP (Ram Vilas) ticket.
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Another former BJP leader Kevechutso Doulo, whose Chizami seat was also snatched by Neiphiu Rio-ledNDPP, also joined the Chirag Paswan-led outfit.
"This is a purposeful Third Front in Nagaland now," a senior LJP (Ram Vilas) leader in Nagaland said.
Both these seats were 'sacrificed' by the BJP in favour of NDPP and hence the development is dramaticand crucial.
Pughoboto falls in Zunheboto district in the hub of the Sema tribe. The community forms numerical strength in the central region of the state and Semas as voters can easily influence election results in three-four assembly constituencies in Dimapur region besides seven segments in Zunheboto district.
In 2018, under the seat share agreement this seat was contested by the BJP. Dr A Sukhato Sema had contested the seat and Y Vikheho Swu of NPF had won the seat by a narrow margin of 70 votes only. Dr Sukhato struggled hard with saffron party leadership to retain the seat for BJP, but the high commanddeclined to entertain his plea.
Swu had shifted to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP in 2022 and now the Chief Minister was under obligation to field Swu from the seat. Swu is a close relative of a prominent NSCN-IM leader.
Hence, the story now is Dr Sukhato will take on NSCN-IM leader Isak Chishi swu's relative.
In Chizami, the NDPP nominee is former Rajya Sabha MP, K G Kenye. Doulo had lost the seat tositting NPF MLA by a margin of 403 seats only.
For Doulo, wearing the 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'.
It is most often difficult for a party like BJP to make penetration in the area.
In fact, in 2018 polls, the so-called Church influence was allegedly used to ensure Doulo'sdefeat at the last moment.
In fact, Doulo was the only Tenyimi leader in 2018 to sweat it out at the polls on the BJP ticket.
K G Kenye, now contesting on NDPP ticket, had backed the much controversial Citizenship Amendment Act in Parliament in 2019 and in fact his NPF party had then "suspended" for doing so as against the party diktats.
Now that Doulo-Kenye battle lines are drawn, the CAA will be back in debate in Nagaland.
A. Neingulo, a student from the area said, "Are Chizami voters now being made mere tools to push the CAA? It is very sad that NDPP and Chief Minister had played into the hands of BJP central leaders orit was his game to push CAA".
"I have immense faith in the leadership of PM Modi ...but it is sheer circumstances and the overwhelmingmandate of supporters and my workers that I decided to quit BJP and will be now contesting on LJP ticket,"Doulo told this journalist over phone.
Interestingly on Jan 29th, last Sunday, BJP's ticket aspirants like Doulo and Dr A Sukhato had gone to respectivecommunity churches for Sunday Service and had prayed.
Even then there was speculation --- who knows how many 'BJP Karyakartas and leaders' will be wearing the saffron cap by next Sunday --- the fear has been proved right.
Besides LJP (Ram Vilas), two other Bihar-based parties RJD and JD(U) are in play.
Certain things are also coincidental. The elections seem very interesting this time. NDPP and BJP are in alliance and other players include the Congress, the AAP, the NPP and state-based Nagaland People's Front (NPF).
With the BJP sealing a deal 'favouring NDPP' -- 20:40 formula in 60-member assembly - many BJP ticketaspirants are left in the lurch. They do not want to trust regional parties nor an outfit like the Congress - which is zero-member strong.
Worse, the Congress did not have enough funds and candidates in 2018 and contested only 18 seats.
Hence the move towards LJP (Ram Vilas) is strategic.
"If not BJP itself, let us be with a friend of BJP.That speaks volume about Narendra Modi's popularity and hopefully the people who decide political course in Nagaland understand this," remarked oneB Yepthomi in Dimapur.
Now, on Friday, JD(U) suffered a mega jolt as its candidate for Ghaspani II - Kitoho Rotokha resigned from the party and joined the LJP (Ram Vilas).
Rotokha is no pushover and he is taking the contest seriously as his rival is Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio's brother and a sitting member Zhaleo Rio.
Politics is also about opportunism and last time we heard Netas calling it 'pragmatism'.
ends
(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth'. Views are personal)
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