Cock may still crow in Nagaland; but real challenge will be to uphold what it stood for

 Cock may still crow in Nagaland; but real challenge will be to uphold what it stood for

Regional stalwart Vamuzo and blogger in 1990s

New Delhi/Kohima 

The regional party Naga People's Front (NPF) is gearing up for the October 21 general convention at Kohima.

Speculation is rife about the change of president and the future roadmap. Who so ever makes it,there will be immense pressure on the new leadership to keep the state's and north east region's oldest outfit 'relevant' to Nagaland and Naga politics.

In the contemporary setting one way to keep a political party relevant is the 'entry' into the corridors of power. The NPF as a matter of fact has only two legislators in the present House and so does a nascent entrant LJP (Ram Vilas), essentially a Bihar-based outfit led by a second generation leader Chirag Paswan.

Other parties have done better than the NPF in the 2023 assembly elections. The NCP for example has seven MLAs and in the 60-member assembly could be trying out the power shenanigans with 'better bargaining chips'.

But the name NPF, its history and its symbol Cock matter more in Nagaland politics.

Incumbent Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has been a NPF leader and face for more than a decade but was later cornered and pushed to the wall. 

This led Rio to "help" form the NDPP - the state's ruling party in Nagaland. But back channel game is on and nobody is keen to rule out the possibility of NDPP-NPF merger where the regional outfit could opt for a 'new name' but retain the Cock symbol.

This is what is called Nagaland's own version of the Cock and the Globe story. NDPP's symbol being Globe.

Cock may ultimately shine atop the Globe.

NPF legislator Azo: Can he, Will he ?

Will Rio be keen for such a scenario? Why not when he would have avenged in the process the humiliation he faced from time to time around 2016-17?  The architects of those 'days of Rio's humiliation' were T R Zeliang, now a Deputy Chief Minister under Rio and present NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu.

The 1936-born veteran leader Shurhozelie also served as the 11th Chief Minister of Nagaland from February 22, 2017 to July 19, 2017.

In the late eighties and the 1990s, Shurhozelie along with two other regional stalwarts Late Vizol Angami and Late Vamuzo Phesao made a great triumvirate.

In 2011, Rio and Shurhozelie were on the same boat. The NPF Manipur unit was floated on May 28, 2011 at Senapati and in the 2012 assembly polls in Manipur, the NPF bagged four seats. This was a turning phase but the government of India agencies and political protagonists in Manipur were cautious about the development.

Did it mean a minor step towards Greater Nagaland (Nagalim) and probable disintegration of Manipur?

When P Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister, there was also a move to allow rebel leader Thuingaleng Muivah to visit his native village Samdol in Ukhrul district of Manipur. Nevertheless, many things happened in between.

In 2014, Rio by his own wisdom and counseling from his well wishers decided to move to Delhi as Lok Sabha lawmaker. Shurhozelie claims he had advised against the move. 

Let us now wait for what happens in the future, nay -- immediate future.

For records:

First regional party and the name was : Democratic Party of Nagaland (DPN) with Cock symbol

Came into being on Oct 21, 1963 at Kohima. New party floated under the chairmanship of A Kevichusa

(Kevichusa's son Chalie Kevichisa later became NPC secretary general but was expelled after NPC led by Vizol-Vamuzo duo decided to share power with Congress and Vamuzo was made the Chief Minister. Chalie later floated Democratic Labour Party, DLP ) 

The Naga people boycotted the first and second general elections in the country in 1952 and 1957. 

After statehood, the first assembly elections in Nagaland were held on Jan 10, 1964. 

The DPN candidates who won first election in 1964 were - Vizol, Viyekha Rengma, Lhousuohie Mhasi, Neituo Angami and Ngurohie Zao from Kohima district.

** Tajenyuba, R Lisen, Bendanganshi, Kajenkaba and Imsumeren from Mokokchung district

** Nsemo Ovung from Wokha district. Vizol was elected leader and the DPN sat on the opposition bench.

Notably, after the Chedema camp peace agreement on Sept 6, 1964, "The DPN was of the opinion that they had accomplished their job and therefore, resigned from the assembly in December, 1964", - Shurhozelie in his presidential address on Dec 12, 2013.