The political landscape in Nagaland has undergone significant changes in the aftermath of the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. Neiphiu Rio joined Narendra Modi as the only other Chief Minister in the country to contest the Lok Sabha election. Though the move was surprising, it was also a bold step, as the decision had the potential to change several dynamics not just in Nagaland but throughout the region.
Rio carried out an extensive campaign all over the region and reached out to the masses in different States of the north east. In Manipur and Mizoram, affiliate parties of the North East Regional Parties Front (NERPF), of which he is the chief, came very close to defeating the Congress and in Nagaland he won with a landslide. There was high expectation that, come what may, he would be a crucial member of team Modi in the union cabinet. His close association with the then Gujarat CM and BJP leadership was no secret and Rio had also led the anti-Congress coalition in Nagaland for more than a decade, withstanding all pressure from the Congress. As NERPF chief, the predominant aim was to weaken the Congress. All these factors and more created enormously high expectations in the minds of the people that Rio would be accommodated into the union cabinet.
The clincher came when the BJP announced to the Naga people that Rio would be inducted into the central ministry during the launch of the NDA rally at Dimapur on 27th March, 2014 by the BJP national vice president. This announcement confirmed to one and all that Rio had made the right political move and the disparity of Nagaland never being accommodated in the union cabinet would be removed.
It is also a fact that, Nagaland cannot send a more capable member to the Lok Sabha than Rio under the present circumstances. As three times elected chief minister of Nagaland and chief of the regional front, he brings with him enormous administrative experience and seniority. Moreover, he also brings to the table, a Christian State and a recognised tribal face.
Therefore his exclusion in the first list of ministers has created an air of gloom and disappointment. But more significantly there seems to be a strong feeling of betrayal in the minds of the people, especially when Nagas have sent their sitting chief minister to Delhi.
There is no doubt that unless Rio is accommodated, the sense of betrayal will further contribute towards the trust-deficit between the people and the Centre and could escalate into further distancing between this far corner of the country and the mainland.
The Centre should take Rio on board and use his vast experience and dig into his contributions to also bring the peace process to its logical conclusion.
Such an opportunity in the near future may not come again both for Nagaland and Delhi.
