Amit Shah to campaign in Eastern Nagaland, Meghalaya

Dimapur (Nagaland), Feb 19 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day visit to Eastern Nagaland on Monday and Tuesday -- that is February 20 and 21.

He will also address election meetings at Shillong of poll-bound state Meghalaya either on Feb 21 or 22.

Of course Shah's visit to Mon, the hub of Konyaks in Eastern Nagaland, is linked to election campaign. But this would also fulfill Shah's assurance given to the Eastern Nagaland Public Organisation (ENPO) delegation in December 2022 that the Home Minister will spend two days with the people of the region.

The ENPO delegation has been assured of a new Autonomous Territory. This body has been since 2011 demanding creation of a new Frontier Nagaland state.

Sources said the Minister will arrive Mon from Assam and address a public meeting at Mon on Monday. People from adjoining areas are also expected to attend the Mon meeting.

The Home Minister is likely to meet a few ENPO leaders as well on Tuesday. He will arrive Tuensang -- another key political and administrative hub in Eastern Nagaland -- the next day and then leave for Shillong, sources said.

Key BJP leaders and Union Ministers are fanning around Eastern Nagaland constituencies especially where the saffron party has put up constituencies.

The Lotus party is contesting eight seats in Eastern Nagaland and there is a strong pro-BJP wave in the region.

Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Sarbanada Sonowal have visited the region and also addressed election meetings on Friday.

Both the Ministers hail from northeast and they said never in the past before the assumption of office by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sincere efforts were made by the centre for holistic development of this region.

MoS IT Rajeev Chandrashekhar also visited the region recently.

In contrast to BJP, the NDPP is being considered quite weak in as many as 12 assembly segments where Nagaland's ruling party has fielded candidates in Eastern Nagaland.

The NDPP-BJP alliance is now facing internal feuds in many segments. At Tapi constituency in Mon district, a sizeable number of BJP workers have reportedly decided to support the candidature of NPP nominee Epha Konyak.

NDPP nominee from Tapi is senior leader Noke Wangnao. The NDPP local unit has lodged a written protest over the same. In the seat allocations, Tapi seat fell to NDPP quota and that way local BJP leaders are expected to support NDPP nominee.

A few other parties from national politics have entered the fray and made things appear very complex.

The LJP (Ram Vilas) and RPI-A have not fielded many candidates against BJP.

On the other hand, the JD-U and NCP are contesting multiple seats each where the BJP prospects are better. NCP is already being called NDPP-B team by local BJP workers in many places.

The JD-U has fielded seven while RPI (Athawale) will try their luck in nine segments. It may not be without good reason that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has called some of these parties as 'migratory' outfits who will vanish after polls. These parties are also seen as strong party spoilers.

NCP and NPP of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma are contesting 12 seats each and LJP (Ram Vilas) nominees are sweating it out in 15 assembly segments.

Meanwhile, sources said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accompanied by NDPP leaders will campaign at high profile segment Pughoboto on Monday, Feb 20.

The NDPP took the seat from BJP [2018 quota] to accommodate Y Vikheho Swu, a kin of former chairman of militant group NSCN-IM Late Isak Chishi Swu. There was much furore on the seat distribution in January as BJP stalwart A Sukhato wanted to contest on saffron party ticket.

Dr Sukhato now contesting as LJP (Ram Vilas) has reportedly taken the battle to the rival camp.

It was in Pughoboto last week Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said the number of seats in Nagaland assembly will be increased. Congress veteran and former Chief Minister K.L. Chishi says such statements reflect Rio's nervousness.

S.C. Jamir, 92-year-old veteran and former Governor of Gujarat, has also criticised such statement from Chief Minister Rio.

(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth'. Views are personal)