Trial and error: T R Zeliang -- Game-changer status to isolation

Nirendra Dev *

Making political decisions means taking responsibility in an environment of uncertainty. This is something T R Zeliang has lacked.

Fortune favoured him in 2014 when NPF chief Shurhozelie reportedly favoured him to succeed Neiphiu Rio when the latter moved as Lok Sabha MP. It was said Rio even had toyed with names such as Noke and G Kaito. However, the golden opportunity that came to T R Zeliang could not be retained due to several mistakes.

Of course once he tied up 'strategically' with Shurhozelie and abandoned Rio in the ruthless world of Lutyen's, he should have examined pros and cons to draw up future plans. This was lacking and gradually the 'ivory tower' games were started to marginalise Rio.

The then Lok Sabha MP was already having a bat-patch as we often say in cricket but they wanted to finish the Northern Angami II man --who is otherwise both tactful and also resourceful.

By 2017, Rio started interacting with journalists in Delhi. Over a tea party, once journalists told him, "Sir, you made a mistake. Only three posts matter in India. PM, CM and DM (District Magistrate) and you gave away Chief Ministership voluntarily". Rio did not buy the line and argued that his focus was/is never personal. Well, let us trust him.

Rio fought back the odds and returned to Nagaland politics in 2018 and just prior to that in 2017, he helped friends like Chingwang Konyak and Alemtemshi Jamir to float the NDPP. Or the baby was his brainchild ?

It goes to his credit that within two months or even less than that, he altered the entire game of chess. BJP's Ram Madhav played a role what Sushilkumar Shinde had played with S C Jamir's career in 1993-94. But Rio's success also has its roots in utter failures in floor management by T R Zeliang and Shurhozelie.

Despite wining 26 seats, passively NPF sat in the opposition believing again in some meta-physical powers to help them get hold of half a dozen legislators. An ardent disciple of S C Jamir, as the Chief Minister Rio played the real and hard politics. Defections started. Even BJP leaders in Nagaland slowly understood that likes of Zeliang and Shurhozelie cannot be fighters.

Thus, life appears to have come full circle. From playing the game-changer in Nagaland polity, T R Zeliang is today just a candidate from Peren. And he owes the ticket to a merciful Rio's blessings. Thus, the former Chief Minister stands isolated.

Take the clock back. He had some spinal cord pain or something and no less India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tried to guide him to try Yoga. This is politics and the game of snake and ladder.

Yet again, no less than Nagaland's very own S C Jamir used to explain that better. "One day we are chief ministers, next day we are no body" -- Jamir had exclaimed when I wanted to know why the chairman of Kohima Town Committee, Abao Kire was made an OSD or something in Chief Minister's Office.

My question was really unpleasant -- "Don't you think such posts are given to political chamchas?"

There lay a difference. A 20-something journo thinking he has right to ask anything and everything and a veteran leader on the other side who has worked with India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Still, protagonists such as Shurhozelie, T R Zeliang and Rio will continue to play a dominant role, but there will be others too who also will have a role.

In power games, they say -- success may be high and dangers are real; but these challenges also enhance the sense of adventure.