NPF and BJP Part Ways for Upcoming Nagaland Assembly Elections

The Chief Election Commissioner has announced the dates for the assembly elections in Nagaland as February 27, the results will be announced on March 3. This came despite several representations to the PMO and Union Home Minister over deferring the polls till the ‘Final Agreement’ is signed to put to rest the ‘Naga Question’. The interlocutor for the Government of India R. N. Ravi has stated that the talks will resume after the elections. The Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups has expressed their displeasure at this announcement and made thinly veiled allegations against some political parties for ‘working against the interest of the Naga people’. On January 18 the Nagaland BJP unit has stated that they would ‘go to the polls alone’, signifying that the alliance with the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) is over for the time being. The NPF at present has 45 members in the 60-member assembly, whereas the BJP has only 4 members.

Neiphieu Rio, the Lok Sabha MP for Nagaland from the NPF has resigned from the NPF and joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). His reason being that the NPF has severed ties with the NDA and such an action will potentially damage the peace process. The NDPP has declared Rio to be their CM candidate. Rio served as Chief Minister of Nagaland for more than 11 years, from the NPF, which has always been aligned with the NDA throughout its existence. R. Khing another veteran from the NPF has also joined the NDPP.

That the NDPP has attracted the former Chief Minister of Nagaland should be a wake-up call for the NPF. This becomes a greater cause for concern as the NDPP has aligned itself with the BJP. The NPF also got into a controversy over the seat reservation for women issue which caused a game of musical chairs to be played over the position of Chief Minister. However, given that the NPF had secured an absolute majority in the assembly in 2013, only a strong anti-incumbency sentiment could unseat them. The major issue for the Naga Nationalist Political Groups (NNPG) is the Final Agreement, however, the political parties appear to be ready to face the polls. This is due to a difference in thinking, the NNPGs are opposed to conducting the elections on a more moral ground, as the Final Agreement will finally settle the Naga Question. However, for the political parties, not being in the position of power may have a direct bearing on the contents of the Final Agreement. For the political parties the situation is a Catch 22; fighting the elections may bring about public ire by way of the NNPGs. However, not fighting the elections will certainly bring about a loss of power in helping negotiate the Final Agreement. A victory for the BJP may also diminish this ability, thus leading to a second ‘Shillong Accord’.