Continuing with the periods of uncertainties that loomed large for almost the whole part of the previous tenure of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the last two days after the counting of votes was the grand finale of all the uncertainties. Rumour mills abounded in social media and messaging platforms, and every citizen had became a political pundit overnight. The winning candidates of the People’s Democratic Alliance partners as well as the Naga People’s Front were all huddled up in different hotels in the state capital. Signs of implosion was quite certain by the second day as intense lobbying was reported to have been done with probable cases of horse-trading too. The curtains fell only with the arrival of the BJP leader from Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma and announcing the official severing of ties between the BJP and the NPF. This somehow finally was a confirmation that the NDPP-BJP alliance along with the support of the JDU, the Independents and probably the NPP will be forming the next government.
As mentioned earlier in this same column the first and the foremost need for the state now is healing. The elections were announced late and politicking was delayed but it however did not dampen the fervour. Although the scale of violence might have been lesser as compared to some years, there were many horrifying cases with loss of lives. It might have been one of the most acrimonious political campaigns is the state. Along with the big divide created by the use of religion, the divide on various other lines among the people were quite prominent across the state. The division on lines of gender was also prominent thereby not a single candidate, out of the five women candidates, returned successful. Some villages literally relived the pass as there were reports of divisions being created based on age-old village rivalries. In some case even lines were drawn according to the peer groups in the village. Divisions are always created and shrewdly utilised during elections.
In such a scenario, the biggest responsibility of the new government is to bring reconciliation and healing among the people. Along with it the ruling alliance should start implementing their manifestos as the policies for development is similar for all the parties. A result oriented government is the only solution that will bring peace among the people else there are enough cases of sour grapes that might just turn into a bigger movement stifling the government.
