Metamorphosis: "In 2023, Naga CM does not need Jamir, Therie or Shurhozelie"

Nirendra Dev *

'Land is a mystery to fish, and by the time a fish discovers land, it is usually too late and the poor creature is on a hook'.

Even the life of a politician could be compared to the melancholic journey of a fish to the land. A man could be changed. Each man or woman has own individual path, but no one knows where the path leads to. Human beings are also prisoners to circumstances. This melancholic saga applies to even a journalist and successful politicians like Neiphiu Rio or S C Jamir.

Let's track.

1993 - Rio realises the futility of defection. As a 'defector' he could become Power Minister under K L Chishi but was 'disqualified'. And by the time the disqualification is revoked by Thenucho, the then Chief Minister Vamuzo decides to keep him away from the ministry. The chairmanship of NIDC is hardly a portfolio Rio rejoices.

He is back into S C Jamir fold and gets into the cabinet yet again as Works and Housing Minister. Jamir needs to strengthen grip over Tenyimi support base vis-a-vis strong Sumi rival Hokishe Sema. Two other Congress colleagues Shikiho Sema and I K Sema too were hardly political friends. Rio leads Jamir's 'Good Will Peace' ministerial teams to violence-hit Kiphire and Athibung. A journalist friend is taken on occasional trips. Shikiho even tells Jamir, " I do not have 'gaari-bhara' to go to Kiphire".

2003 - Rio is transformed. He is back into the regional fold. An old UDF youth wing leader, he wins veteran Shurhozelie's blessings. K Therie is a friend and all three have a common rival called Chubatoshi. The voters of Nagaland oblige and Jamir is ousted. Therie is now Finance Minister and Shurhozelie suppresses his ego and joins the Rio cabinet as Planning Minister.

But fun and friendship is short lived. Therie follows Chakhesang instinct and hence is opted out.

Now circa 2023. Rio does not need Shurhozelie, Therie or Jamir. Though the political brinkmanship is bitter, Therie still calls him 'my friend' and says - "Rio needs good friends and even sympathy".

In fact, in August 2022, Therie even told 'Nagaland Page' -- "...Rio may feel he is trapped. Otherwise, heart of heart, I don't know whether he will truly like to be in this manner......I feel his friends may even consider he should wish that he is defeated so that he is in peace".

Rio is of course encircled by new friends and loyalists. He may not meet old friends and so many of them do not know could be bothering him sincerely. His smiles almost vanished months back. Even army officials say his body language is changed. "From all sides, I am under attack," Rio confessed to a few friends even in 2022.

Unfortunately, there is a negative tag today - 'power hungry'. In politics anyone can be a 'prisoner' to circumstances, what are those? Who really are pulling the strings? At top, you are alone!

AICC media coordinator Mahima Singh says the Rs 70 crore High Court building scam has actually opened the doors for ‘Operation Lotus’.

“On the brink of ensuing elections, Rio and his partners land before the ED being probed for severe corruption in the High Court scam, but allowing the Centre to remote control Nagaland by misappropriating agencies so that draconian laws like CAA and Uniform Civil Code may be imposed....," she said.

There is another CAA related political fable. Former Rajya Sabha member K G Kenye, who supported the controversial legislation in 2019, could be entering the state assembly from Chizami on NDPP ticket. Will a dedicated BJP soldier Kevechutso Doulo now become a victim of circumstances?

In 2018, Doulo lost the seat by a narrow margin of only 403 votes. Similarly for Pughoboto - is it genuinely a Rio's idea to snatch the seat for his party or a nephew of a former NSCN-IM top leader? Then the ENPO imbroglio. People are also wary about grievances of Central Nagaland. Once a 'Nagaland Page' story claimed huge funds were allocated only for Dimapur and Kohima districts.

The 'wheels within wheels' is a powerful English phrase.

No much headway in BJP's 'seat share' review move

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton and state unit chief Temjen Imna Along met Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convener Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati on Jan 24 as part of the 'damage control' exercise to review the seat share arrangements with the NDPP.

"It was a good meeting...., more interactions could be required," a source in the know of things simply said. The Nagaland BJP leaders also met two other central leaders and will try to hold more consultations in Delhi in the next few days. The meetings assume significance as they were held in line with the assurances given by these leaders to their hundreds of Karyakartas in Dimapur on Sunday.

But sources say there was 'not much headway' from the Nagaland BJP's perspective as the party high command has promised 20:40 formula to the NDPP leadership headed by Chief Minister Neiphu Rio.

Meanwhile, another source said Rio also met his Assam counterpart Sarma. But whether Nagaland BJP leaders were present in the meeting is not yet clear. BJP central joint coordinator for north east, Rituraj Sinha is also reportedly camping in Guwahati. Sinha on Jan 5 had met a group of ticket aspirants including Dr A Sukhato, saffron party's nominee for Pughoboto in 2018 and several senior NDPP leaders in Dimapur.

Anti-Temjen posters and banners were brought out by BJP's Pughoboto Mandal workers on Tuesday as well. Several BJP Karyakartas and supporters were screaming in Dimapur during a mob protest on Sunday that "people and leaders from Assam" cannot decide whether the Naga voters will back the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or not.

One key office bearer of the saffron party was reportedly given a chase by the mob and such chaotic scenes and noisy protest had forced BJP leaders Patton and Imna Along promise the agitating crowd on Sunday evening that they will seek review of the seat share ties up to 30:30.

Besides seeking 20:40 arrangements, the NDPP has sought two seats from BJP's quota - Chizami and Pughoboto. Both the seats were lost by the saffron party nominees Kevechutso Doulo (Chizami - only by 403 seats) and Dr Sukhato (Pughoboto only by 70 votes).