Kohima/Mon (Nagaland): Two key Union Ministers from Northeast Sarbananda Sonowal and Kiren Rijiju made a strong pitch for the “holistic development” of poll-bound Nagaland and the region.
Addressing election rallies in politically sensitive Eastern Nagaland pockets, Sonowal, also a former Assam Chief Minister, said only under BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stewardship that the once neglected region is developing so fast.
He said the spree of development in his state Assam started in 2016 – a reference to his leadership when for the first time, BJP came to power in Assam, ousting the then Congress stalwart Tarun Gogoi regime.
Local BJP leaders say there is a strong pro-lotus party wave in Eastern Nagaland that houses 20 constituencies. However, the BJP is contesting this year’s Nagaland polls as a partner of NDPP and is only contesting 20 seats.
In Eastern Nagaland, there are eight BJP candidates, and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP is contesting the remaining 12.
Sonowal and Kiren Rijiju said that peace and sustainable development in Nagaland, Meghalaya and other northeastern states was the fruits of hard work and PM Modi’s vision to make the northeast the true engine of growth for India.
Rijiju campaigned on February 17 for BJP candidate P Paiwang Konyak at Tizit. Paiwang is a sitting BJP member and Minister and is regarded as one of the tall BJP leaders from the region.
Union Law Minister Rijiju also campaigned for BJP candidate Konngam Konyak at Longwa village bordering Myanmar. This region falls under the Phomching constituency.
Electioneering has picked up in Eastern Nagaland, wherein the contest is turning quite competitive and exciting with the entry of RPI (Athawale) candidates.
Eastern Nagaland leaders have been lately assured of an Autonomous Territory by the centre. The apex Eastern Nagaland Public Organisation has been fighting for a decade to create a new state Frontier Nagaland.
Local analysts say it may still be early days, but reports from some sensitive segments say candidates like H Nyemli Phom of RPI (A) may spring a surprise and defeat NDPP’s Nganlang Phom in Tamlu. In 2018, Nganlang won on NPF ticket.
In Aboi, RPI(A) candidate Wangka Konyak may make life tough for Eshak Konyak of NDPP, who had won the 2018 polls again on the NPF ticket.
In Pungro-Kiphire RPI (A) nominee is former Deputy Speaker T Yangseo Sangtam, and his nearest competitor could be K Yimchunger of NDPP. At the same time, Congress has also fielded T Atsuba from the seat.
Former Deputy Speaker of Nagaland T Yangseo Sangtam, after filing his nomination at Kiphire, said that party affiliation and tickets do not matter much; “what matters are the voters and their votes”.
A local BJP leader in Mon, Nami Konyak, says, “RPI-A entry is interesting….but we do not know what are their calculations. But they are mostly contesting against NDPP candidates. The LJP (Ram Vilas) and RPI-A have not fielded many candidates against BJP”.
On the other hand, observers point out that the JD-U and NCP are contesting multiple seats each, where the real chance of winning is for the BJP candidates.
NCP and NPP are contesting 12 seats each, and LJP (Ram Vilas) nominees are sweating it out in 15 assembly segments. The JD-U has fielded seven, while RPI (Athawale) will try their luck in nine assembly segments.
