Nagaland witnessed violence in 2017 over the issue of urban local bodies with women quota, high political drama over leadership in the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) and simmering tension along the border with Assam.
Besides regular programmes of the government along with official functions, the year did not witness any major developmental activities.
Following the announcement of election to ULBs with 33 per cent women reservation in the fag end of 2016, various tribal organisations resorted to threatening women candidates and also damaging their houses starting January 2, 2017.
Nonetheless, angered over the state government's decision to go ahead with women reservation in ULBs, menfolk took to the streets on January 31 night in Dimapur resulting in killing two youths in alleged police firing, the SIT investigation report of which is yet to be made public.
This was followed by vandalism and arson in Kohima and Mokokchung district where government offices were burnt on February 2 while the state was in prolonged period of bandh.
Subsequently, the state government had to declare the February ULB elections as null and void but the unspecified public under the aegis of Joint Coordination Committee and Nagaland Tribes Action Committee, constituted specially to speak for the general public demanded Chief Minister Zeliang to step down from the chair.
Zeliang left with no option vacated the chair while the NPF brought in former minister and party president Shurhozelie Liezietsu to mitigate the burning tension in the state and he was sworn in as chief minister on February 22. However, despite a majority of MLAs preferring Liezietsu, his takeover was queered when Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio's name was propped by section of NPF MLAs.
Thereafter, Liezietsu led the government smoothly.
But leadership crisis within NPF legislators cropped after four months, when Liezietsu announced his willingness to contest the bye-election under 10-Northern Angami-I seat, which was vacated by his son Khriehu Liezietsu for him to become MLA and continue the chief ministership.
Zeliang along with 36 NPF MLAs camped at Keziranga in Assam to stake claim to form his government on July 8. While Governor PB Acharya gave an opportunity to Liezietsu to prove his majority in the assembly on July 19, but the latter did not make any move resulting in the dismissal of his government and installation of Zeliang as the chief minister for the second time.
Zeliang proved his majority in the Assembly on July 21 but the internal crisis deepened with Liezietsu expelling and suspending 36 NPF MLAs supporting Zeliang and Rio.
The NPF dram continued even in the court of law and also the assembly Speaker seeking legal proceedings against each other, even to the extent of disqualification from Assembly.
While on the other hand, the dissident legislators claiming to have the majority of the Central Executive Council of the party declared Rio as the new president of NPF.
They also held the NPF general convention in Dimapur on September 20 and submitted claims of party nomenclature and election symbol with the Election Commission.
However, the Election Commission wrote back to NPF led by Liezietsu informing about the claims of Rio-led NPF and that the matter be solved through a general convention as per the provisions of the party constitution, which was complied on November 22.
Nonetheless, with onset of festive season and also state assembly elections scheduled for early next year, Zeliang and Liezietsu while leaving behind Rio, signed a memorandum of reconciliation on December 8 to give up the bitterness but come together considering the fast approaching solution of Naga political issue and also complying with the directive of ECI.
The change of guard for two times and also the final reconciliation also witnessed frequent reshuffle in the council of ministers and also sacking of some unfavoured ministers and parliamentary secretaries. This not only hampered the functioning of government departments but all the developmental activities for the year were brought to a standstill.
Amid the NPF crisis, a new political party under the banner of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) erupted in the state in May with members comprising most of retired bureaucrats and headed by former Lok Sabha MP Chingwang Konyak.
The year gone by also witnessed simmering tension between Nagaland and Assam on the border issue.
NSCN (K) 'chairman' S S Khaplang's death in June was deeply mourned by the state. He was replaced by the banned group's 'vice chairman' Khango Konyak.
On the long cherished aspiration of the people of the state for an early resolution of the Naga political issue, the Nagas and the state government renewed hope that solution is fast approaching to conclusion. The Centre's interlocutor R N Ravi during his visit to the state in July declared that solution of the decades old crisis is close by.
With assembly elections approaching, Naga civil societies and tribal organisations have been demanding "solution, not election" while the state government passed in the assembly a resolution appealing the central government to resolve the Naga political issue before the next general elections.
In the technology era, Nagaland became the first state in the country to introduce and implement Radio Frequency Identity (RFID) based file management system.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)