By Nirendra DevKohima/New Delhi, April 25 : Indicating that the gap between key alliance partners in Nagaland, the NDPP and the BJP, has widened further, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister and saffron party’s floor leader in the Assembly, Y.Patton, on Monday snubbed Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and rejected his offer of the additional portfolio of Land Resources.
“With deep sense of regret, it is to inform you that I have to gracefully decline and hereby refuse to accept the new allotment of portfolio to me, that is, the Department of Land Resources, as I stand contend working together even without this additional assignment,” Patton wrote in a letter to the Chief Minister.
On Saturday, Patton was divested of the portfolio of Roads and Bridges and the same was passed on to Chief Minister Rio’s party colleague H.Chuba Chang, who is only an advisor and not a minister in the cabinet.
A government notification signed by Chief Secretary J.Alam had said that the portfolio of Roads and Bridges would be henceforth catered to by advisor H.Chuba Chang.
The words quickly spread that Deputy CM Pattton and a section of BJP leaders were not happy.
NDPP President Chingwang Konyak had maintained that Nalin Kohli, BJP’s in-charge for Nagaland who visited the state recently, was taken into confidence by the Chief Minister.
BJP’s regional partner believed that the new arrangement had to be accepted by the saffron party as the latter was ensured a Rajya Sabha berth in favour of S.Phangnon Konyak.
The BJP leaders, however, say that linking Rajya Sabha election to portfolio sharing was uncalled for as it was agreed earlier that while NDPP would contest Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the Rajya Sabha berth (in March 2022) would be given to the BJP.
The portfolio politics pertaining to the Ministry of Roads and Bridges is actually linked to electoral games and preparation for fast-approaching Assembly polls.There is little gainsay to point out that this is a ‘juicy portfolio’ and elections in Nagaland are always considered one of the expensive affairs of the state.
The state BJP leaders have complained to the party high command that in the garb of changing the portfolio, Chief Minister Rio is now preparing ground for elections where NDPP will either merge with another regional party, NPF, or will contest the polls in alliance.
All these seem part of the game to ‘isolate’ the BJP, which on its part had earlier this month snapped ties with its regional partners NPF and NPP in Manipur.
The move also smacks of encouraging corruption on the eve of polls, they say.
The regional parties in Nagaland are also nervous that the saffron party would repeat the ‘Manipur model’ in the state and leave the two regional partners in the lurch at the last moment.
However, the state BJP leaders say things are premature and the party is yet to finalise the electoral strategy.
In sum and substance, the gap between NDPP and BJP has widened and either side could be blaming the other.Both NDPP under Chingwang Konyak-Rio leadership and NPF under T.R.Zeliang-Shurhozelie combine are constituents of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is the convener of NEDA and he is expected in New Delhi for consultation on various issues.
In Nagaland, the BJP leaders by and large are happy with Patton’s decision to reject the additional portfolio.
“It was a double game employed by Chief Minister Rio.The Department of Land Resources is with another BJP minister, Paiwang Konyak, and so Patton has done the right thing.We cannot take each other’s portfolio and allow NDPP to enjoy the larger size of the cake,” a key BJP functionary told this journalist.
Some leaders propose to take up the entire matter with BJP’s organisational general secretary, B.L.Santhosh, and would even complain against Nalin Kohli’s role.
“Kohli came here, met some frontal (Morcha) leaders briefly and, if at all, gave approval to the Chief Minister’s move,” one leader said on the condition of anonymity.
Some BJP leaders say that Patton’s move to reject the additional portfolio is “a public spirited decision and a decision to uphold BJP’s prestige”.
“For our party, the nation and governance come first, not the portfolio of an individual.Rio and his party must realise this.
He is not dealing with good old Congress culture politicians.The NDPP will do well to appreciate that we do get feelers and a number of NDPP leaders at various positions and ranks may also join our party.
He should read the message as a writing on the wall,” a party leader said.
Notably, in what was considered a key development, Patton on April 19 had said at a public function in Dimapur that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been urged to announce ‘resolution’ of the Naga political problem during Independence Day.
Patton also said that student leaders and other social organisations should impress upon peace emissary A.K.Mishra that ‘enough is enough’ and more than 25 years have been spent on negotiations.
BJP leaders indicate everything is ‘linked’ in politics.
Once the peace pact is inked, there will be a mega BJP wave in favour of Prime Minister Modi, they feel.
(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist.
He is the author of books ‘The Talking Guns: North East India’ and ‘Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth’.Views are personal)
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