BJP leaders, top Union ministers may meet church leaders from northeast
Did NBCC try to dissuade people from voting for NDPP on religion ground ?
New Delhi
Drawing political lessons and working out new strategies are constant things about politics.
Smarting out of recent Lok Sabha mandate from states such as Nagaland, Meghalaya and Manipur; top ministers and central BJP leaders are now mooting the idea of a few meetings with church leaders in north east India.
The Narendra Modi-Shah led BJP and its allies lost all five seats in these three states -- one in Nagaland and two each in Meghalaya and Manipur.
In Meghalaya, Conrad Sangma-led NPP lost both Tura and Shillong parliamentary seats while NDPP nominee Chumben Murry was humbled in Nagaland. And in Manipur the BJP and NPF lost one seat each in Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur respectively.
Much to the embarrassment of Modi's much touted 'Congress-Mukt' India slogan; out of five the
Congress could win as many as four seats including two from Manipur and one each in Nagaland and Meghalaya.
Saleng A. Sangma of Congress humbled CM Conrad's sister Agatha Sangma in Tura.
A section of BJP leaders in Delhi admit that the alleged Hindutva slant of the saffron party also played a significant role in the defeats of BJP and its allies. At the same time, the "local unhappiness" against NPP and NDPP leadership too could not be ruled out.
Hence, a proposal is on card for meetings with church leaders from these three states and possibly also from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Mizoram.
This is to clear apprehensions that the saffron party is against Christians and Christianity.
The BJP nominees won both the seats in Arunachal Pradesh but it is also a fact that in the run up to this year's Lok Sabha polls, the influential Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) had urged all its member and denominational organizations to “extend full support and work for” Congress candidates Nabam Tuki and Bosiram Siram, who contested against the BJP’s sitting parliamentarians from the two constituencies.
In its circular, the ACF said it was supporting the Congress candidates to “continue the ongoing democratic movement against the present regime.”
It also listed its demands which include repealing the state’s anti-conversion law, and an assurance not to rob tribal Christians of their Scheduled Tribe status which ensures them education and job benefits under India’s affirmative action program.
The ACF also wants the targeting of Christians and their institutions or faith practices to stop.
In Nagaland, NDPP nominee Murry wrote in an article after the polls that, "The NBCC has attempted to dissuade people from voting for NDPP on religion ground".
In Assam, the controversial anti-healing Bill piloted by the Himanta Biswa Sarma government had galvanized Christians and tribals against the BJP nominees.
In the case of Nagaland of course, a key BJP source also said: "....if Christians can vote and elect those who contest on BJP ticket in 2018, 2023 and ULB polls will they take alliance with BJP so seriously ? It was 100% anti NDPP sentiments at play".
However, the formats of interactions between top ministers and who will do with the church leaders so has not been worked out yet.
It is likely that the Home Ministry will seek the assistance of state governments or respective state chief ministers to convene such meetings either at state levels or in New Delhi.
ends
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