BJP every neta’s friend in fight between Naga heavyweights

KOHIMA: Personalities rather than political parties or ideologies have dominated elections in Christian-majority Nagaland. This election may be no different.
Take for instance the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF), which has long been associated with the BJP. Yet this time, it is not NPF, but its offshoot and main challenger — the National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) — that is fighting the election in collaboration with BJP, otherwise seen mainly as a promoter of Hindutva ideology.

The two powerful regional parties even chose not to support the Church openly last week when it warned Naga voters of an ‘invasion’ by Hindutva forces in the state.

Defending BJP, its time-tested ally, NDPP president Neiphiu Rio said, “My party has aligned with BJP to protect Christianity.”

In no time, NPF chief minister TR Zeliang expressed his readiness to forgive BJP, which dumped NPF for NDPP immediately after poll dates were announced. He said, “NPF has kept its doors open for a tie-up with BJP.” Ironically, NPF has decided in principle to snap its ties with BJP in Manipur and pull out of the ruling alliance there. Zeliang also reminded all that despite its partnership with NDPP, BJP has not withdrawn its ministers from the Nagaland government.

For over a decade, NPF —first under Rio and then Zeliang as CM —has been at the helm in Nagaland alongwith BJP, and is an NDA ally at the Centre. A month ago, Rio surprised everyone by joining NDPP, a party he had floated recently.

After some dilly-dallying, BJP opted for NDPP as an ally in the assembly election on February 27.

BJP stands to benefit from the state’s tradition of paying more attention to individual candidates. If its national mascot is PM Modi, it seems ready to acknowledge Rio as one of Nagaland’s strongest leaders.

BJP projects Modi as the only person who can help resolve the decades-old Naga problem. State BJP president Visasolie Lhoungu says, “For the first time, the Church spoke against BJP, which proves we are no longer a non-entity but a force to reckon with.”

Explaining why it did not ally with NPF, Lhoungu says “BJP didn’t want to play second fiddle” and NPF wasn’t “ready for us to be an equal partner.”

Of the 60 assembly seats, BJP will contest on 20, NDPP in the remaining 40.






BJP first contested the assembly election here in 1987. Its maiden success came in 2003 when it won seven seats and joined the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), comprising NPF and JD(U). DAN is currently Nagaland’s ruling alliance. “We are popular because of Modi’s image. People here don’t look at BJP on religious lines,” says Lhoungu. Modi is at the forefront of BJP’s campaign; the PM held a rally on February 22 in Tuensang.

Congress’s dwindling influence has also bolstered the saffrons — the Grand Old Party has been able to put up candidates only in 18 seats. To win over the electorate, 88% of whom are Christians, the Congress manifesto offered subsidised pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the state’s Christians. In tandem, BJP announced free trips to Jerusalem for 50 senior citizens every year if it comes to power.

NDPP back BJP’s pro-development stand with the slogan “Together we will bring change.” Rio, CM candidate of the BJP-NDPP alliance who has already won his seat unopposed, says, “BJP is not a party with a religious ideology.”

What NDPP and BJP may use as their trump card is the Centre’s involvement in finding a solution to the Nagalim question. “A solution to the Naga crisis can be found only at the highest level. Every Naga must understand that it can happen only under Modi’s leadership. The PM has taken the matter seriously,” says Lhoungu, adding, “If we come to power, we’ll help implement any Accord between the Nagas and the Centre.”

No matter what their leadership say about reviving the alliance with BJP, many in NPF feel that the statement of the Church on Hindutva forces may help their party in the long run. “The Church has made our job easier. We don’t have to educate the people about BJP,” says NPF secretary Sebastian Zumvu. Describing the Church’s stand as ‘unfortunate’, Lhoungu says, “We don’t want to revolt against the Church. We want to ask the Church why it was quiet all these years when BJP was growing by the day.”