Johny G Rengma
[dropcap]L[/dropcap]ife has truly come a full circle for the Congress party as the sycophancy of the highest order is going full swing. Their most powerful weapon, Rahul Gandhi has failed to create enthusiasm among Congress workers. It suits BJP as the country’s principal opposition party is all set to exploit the ‘nationwide’ good will to bounce back to power in the centre and strengthen the party presence across the nation.There is a Narendra Modi craze nationwide and Patna rally on October 27, 2013 was a pointer that the time has arrived for our party. All surveys and opinion polls suggest that BJP is set to return to power in crucial states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi and in the Lok Sabha election it will certainly emerge the single largest party and a clear winner.
As a Naga politician from the backyards of northeastern hills and as I pen these lines from the Lutyen’s city, my analysis is that the goodwill towards BJP will be reflected well in the northeast too and out of 25 seats including 14 in Assam, I am confident the NDA will spring a major surprise and possibly bag as many as 10-12 seats.
My interactions with my fellow Christian tribals from other northeastern states also confirm the optimism that the tribal people in northeastern region are overwhelmingly waiting for a fresh lease of development under Mr Narendra Modi.
Moreover, our regional partners like the NPF in Nagaland are also set to do well as the Congress party is already reduced to single digit strength in the Nagaland assembly. We have favourable reports from other northeastern states too.
In Nagaland perspective again, I need to mention here that the future Narendra Modi-led government in the centre will able to deliver something specific on the Naga political problem.
The BJP-led government will take the Naga peace talks to the next level as the negotiations are going on for last so many years since 1997.
The Nagaland government headed by Neiphio Rio is creditably playing its role both in ensuring developments as well as helping both sides-- the Government of India and the Naga groups-- move towards a more purposeful stage of negotiations.
The chief minister Mr Rio deserves special kudos as he has able to keep himself ‘apolitical’. I am from BJP and he is the key NPF leader but I have found him working to specific plans to keep all parties on a same platform when it comes to working for common Naga cause. This is certainly a rare quality found in Naga politicians. Thus, the chief minister has able to keep a much needed united approach towards all Naga militant groups. This is certainly a welcome step despite the inherent difficulties associated with the same.
I am confident such consolidated and focused approach for ‘unity’ among Naga groups would fetch in rich dividends in the time to come.
There is another facet of the achievements of the state government in Nagaland. The NPF regime has been able to ensure developmental works in the state despite often an ‘unfriendly’ attitude adopted by the Congress-led UPA government in the centre.
Coming back to my optimism that the BJP and the NDA partners will do well, it ought to be stated that the people of northeast by and large are today more inclined towards the BJP and more so because they have experienced the negative attitude of the UPA towards our region in the last 10 years.
Therefore, it will be no exaggeration to state that the leaders of regional parties in the northeast region will exercise their political wisdom in the larger interest of the people and get themselves associated with the future BJP-led government in New Delhi. The optimism is more relevant as the country is set to elect the illustrious Mr Narendra Modi as the next Prime Minister of India.
In the meanwhile, one ought to also point out that the so called big claim of the Congress party, the Food Security Act is a misleading campaign. I feel sharp contrast to this; the Chhattisgarh model of Food Security worked out the BJP government in that state is more result oriented. The BJP programme of ‘job security’ as envisaged by Mr Narendra Modi will be perhaps a need of the hour.
