Dr. Maongsangba
The political migration of Party functionaries, of party workers, of political bigwigs, from one party to another has hogged the media attention and taken the entire populace by storm. Look at the daily Newspapers. “4 MLA Quits” “Congress is my Home” “Ex-Congress MLA joins NPF.” “NPF strengthen after Congress defection.” “Shot in the arm for Congress after NPF Defection” “NPF welcomes Congressmen.” “Congress welcomes NPF workers” “UNDP welcomes Congress and BJP workers” This look like a lavish exchange Programme! So, let’s call it Political Party exchange Programme. Speculation is also rift and the rumor has it that another wave of migration is on the card. As the poll draws nearer, the possibility of some top guns switching sides cannot be ruled out.
Analysts and political observers have lost track of who is in which party, who is migrated; who is a fence sitter; and who is seeking which party ticket? Politics is the art of possible, neither there is permanent friend nor foe in politics. Be that as it may, the Nagas have clinically exhibited with finesse “The art of possible” There is no legal bar in switching party loyalty of the party workers and functionaries, but this phenomenon has largely hampered the growth of a sound political system in the State. Since Statehood, party hoping at regular interval has been the bane of the Nagas. Despite this major political tremor in all the parties, there are still party workers and functionaries in the two major parties (Congress) and (NPF), who continue to remain loyal and steadfast, even when out of power. Party leadership should identify those exemplary leaders from the grass root level to the top and reward them appropriately.
Now, look at the chequered history of regional party. The NNO merged with Congress in June 1976. The other regional party beginning from DP to UF underwent several changes in its nomenclature to accommodate migratory political leaders. In 1972, United Front (UF) added the word “Democratic” and became United Democratic Front, (UDF) and facilitates the entry of S.C Jamir along with some NNO leaders to UDF. Later, Jamir found the UDF a little too stuffy and joined Congress and went on to become the CLP leader. J.B Jasokie, who was the CLP leader quit Congress and founded NNP. No sooner than NNP appeared on the political horizon, the UDF and NNP joined in wedlock and thus, gave birth to NNDP in 1980. When the party was still an infant, the NNDP metamorphosed to NPC to accommodate K.L. Chishi & group in 1988. After a treacherous act of betrayal by the NPC in the 1990, Chishi returned to the Congress and became finance minister in the Jamir-led Congress Govt. in 1993. He again left Congress to launch a new regional political outfit- NDM. The NDM merged with Congress after 10th general election and now, Chishi is back to the Congress fold.
Politics is the art of possible, they say, so - J.B Jasokie; a Congress stalwart who was the CLP leader became Chief Minister (NNDP); and S.C Jamir, a UDF stalwart went on to become the CLP leader. This development took place during May-June 1980. A classic case of political cross transfer between the two titans. After a short stint in NNDP, J.B Jasokie was back to Congress and became a Cabinet Minister in the short-lived Hokishe ministry. The final round of political realignment took place on the eve of 10th general election in 2003. In this round, nomenclature of NPC was slightly changed, “C”was cut and “F” was pasted to make room for Congress stalwarts Rio and Therie. However, the politics of “delete and paste” led to the ouster of Huska, a veteran regional party leader and NPC president. Under the circumstances, he was compelled to take refuge in Janata Dal (U).
When Rio and Therie quit Congress in 2002, a massive political tremor rocked the state and saw the collapse of the Congress Government and propelled NPF to power. However, the duo had fallen out; and Therie quit as MLA and from the NPF as well. This could be a prelude to his home coming to the Congress fold. The rechristening process of regional party is bill as harbinger of good luck, as in its wake; UDF, NNDP, NPC, NPF managed to come to power. S.C Jamir became Deputy Chief Minister during UDF regime in 1977. Late J.B Jasokie became Chief Minister (NNDP) in 1980. K.L Chishi (NPC) in 1990 and Rio (NPF) in 2003. What is common about these regional parties and stalwarts? All these parties carried the symbol-“Cock” and all these stalwarts have Congress roots.
Besides, migration and rampant exodus of Party leaders, the Newspaper Report is replete with such headlines as- Village Council to field Mr so and so. Each electorate has to fall in line, lest the defaulters would face the consequences. I wonder how would Village Council, a statutory body; usurp the democratic right of a citizen in this fashion in the name of culture and traditional practices? Drumming up support and attempt to search a consensus candidate is a normal practice. However, it is illegal and beyond the power of any authority to compelled some one to choose his representative against his wish. There are areas where the diktat of the Council shall prevail and the citizens have to fall in line irrespective of status. The Village Council has its own area of jurisdiction, which is all-powerful, binding; and that is obeyed with regularity and sanctity. But a Statutory body such as Village Council should not direct, suggest nor issue diktat to the citizens in matters of voting. In this aspect individual is supreme. It is almost become a fashion in most of villages to conduct a mini election to choose a so-called consensus candidate in the village in the run-up to the each general election. Such action triggers social tension and often led to skirmishes within the village and has become a source of inter-village feud.
What will be the reaction of the village Councils if Naga armed Cadre issue a diktat in your village to vote enmasse for a candidate of their choice? What will be the reaction of the people if the Village Council issues an azha to vote for a particular candidate in the name of culture and traditional practices? What will be the reaction of polling officials if they are force to complete the polling on the eve of the election at gunpoint? This is not a hypothetical question. It’s a political discourse based on fact and empirical reality. For too long, the policy makers, the powers that be, Civil Society, the people at large have turned a blind eye; and chose to remain a mute spectator to the continuous assault on individual liberty. The matter is compounded by the hegemonic dominance of gun power, muscles power, money power and other means of short cut to success in Naga politics. All these elements have hijack our delivery system and led to the emergence of sub-standard leaders, corruption in high places; and had failed to put in place a sound political system.
(Dr. Maongsangba is H.O.D Deptt of Political Science F.A.C, Mokokchung)
