Serenading the last surviving Naga regionalist - Shurhozelie

Nirendra Dev *

Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu :: Pix - Naga People’s Front

Of the three original Naga regionalists of the 1990s - Vizol Angami, Vamuzo Phesao and Shurhozelie - all three had distinct virtues and characteristics.

Chalie Kevichusa was the fourth but he fell out with them when Vamuzo decided to join hands with Congress and became Chief Minister. Late Chalie never mixed politics with his journalism or his role as Editor of 'Ura Mail'. So interacting with him was always educational.

Often he would say that of the three senior colleagues he had in NPC, Shurhozelie was the craftisest of all while Vamuzo with his flamboyant style was the most ambitious. Vizol was of course the idealist and despite his exterior meekness and soft spoken nature, he had the guts and ability to sact S C Jamir from his UDF cabinet.

But somehow luck did not favour Shurhozelie for long. Both Vizol and Vamuzo were his seniors and so he remained overshadowed. But when it came to real politicking, Shurhozelie was the brain behind the trio.

After many years when he became Chief Minister replacing T R Zeliang for a brief period; even a hardcore pragmatic politician Neiphiu Rio told me in Delhi, "It's all destiny Nirendra....he had the crown in his luck". Initial rumour was Rio would be replacing T R Zeliang.

Shurhozelie has been an excellent debater in the assembly too. As Jamir and Vamuzo usually indulged in personal attack against each other and K L Chishi used his eloquent and unique sarcastic flavour against opponents, Shurhozelie would deliver the real knockout punch.

Well, Shruhozelie is in the news and thanks to two of his young friends Rio and T R Zeliang. A typical fighting cock that he is, even after losing 21 MLAs - he remains a defiant and fighting old war horse. He says the four people who did not desert him are the 'real heroes' of the NPF.

His shrewd mastery of real politics comes to light when he says the NPF would continue to be in the UDA but chairmanship and one cabinet berth must be given to his party of four legislators.

Only a man of his coolness and crafty style can ask for these when Rio was reportedly snubbed when Shurhozelie declined to give up organisational leadership of the united NPF and NDPP.

Of some of Shruhozelie's oneliners one remembers is - "You cannot teach new tricks to old dogs". In fact, even Chalie Kevichusa also used to say so. The statement referred to frequent defectors - a menace Nagaland politics was synonymous for years.

Paradoxically the old defection game - political head hunting is back again. Of the 21 some are well known turncoats. Likes of T R Zeliang and Neiphiu Rio himself have done business with Congress and lately touted themselves as best of regionalist fighters. Even otherwise NDPP is full of opportunists.

In Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma was a key Congress leader and now he is in the Lotus party and is among the most trusted lieutenants of Amit Shah. Once a Congressman can easily adjust being BJP man either in Assam or any other state. Former BJP leader Bansi Lal Soni used to say whenever he visited Nagaland.

The problem is with political protagonist like Shurhozelie. While he approved Vamuzo's power share formula with Congress; he would personally find doing any business with the BJP almost an impossible phenomenon. But politics is strange. The rolling stones and those who know the art of sleeping with enemies often flourish.

Amit Shah has almost institutionalised it. Look at the likes of Kiren Rijiju and Himanta and even Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. In Tripura, most BJP legislators including Ministers were onetime Congress or Trinamool Congress old hats.

Shah and his compatriots privately call this 'political conversion'. This scribe does not mind more surprises from Naga politicians especially 'friends' who have been Congress torchbearers. We need not call it opportunism either.