In Nagaland, which voted to continue the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance in the assembly elections held on 27 February, the sharing of power between various interest groups is often based on the fact that The fate of the state is deeply linked to its relationship with the centre. The party in power in Delhi gets a significant role in the politics of the state. In the 40-20 seats deal in NDPP-BJP, his Alliance won 37, The rest was shared by several parties, such as the Nationalist Congress Party, which came third with seven seats. Politics in Nagaland is such that no one wants to be in the opposition and all the MLAs have now extended support to the NDPP-BJP government. Far from being a sign of healthy political unity, the complete absence of opposition in the assembly has pushed the state to a new low in terms of lack of legislative accountability. The alleged reason for this scandalous unity that started in the last assembly is to jointly work towards resolving the “Indo-Naga political issue” which pertains to an agreement with separatist organizations. But in practice it has now become a tussle for power sharing.
Neiphiu Rio, who continues as Chief Minister, enjoys the confidence of the BJP, which gets five berths in the Council of Ministers. Mr. Rio’s defection from the Congress pushed that party downward, even as he became chief minister in 2003 after joining the NPF. The state assembly also has two firsts – two women members, one of whom is also the state’s first woman minister, which is notable given Nagaland’s patriarchal character. Former Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who came from NPF to NDPP in 2022, is the Deputy Chief Minister. The representation of Nagaland regions and major Naga communities is more balanced this time. The state continues to face serious development challenges and its governance deficit is severe, which has been attributed to years of insurgency and associated extortion – something that is only partially valid. What is closer to the truth is the notion that political parties have also developed a stake in the standoff. The demand for statehood for six districts in eastern Nagaland has added a new flaw. The NDPP-BJP alliance won nine of the 20 seats in the region. In an assembly without opposition, government accountability can be elusive. Effectively, the politicians have broken the faith of the people in Nagaland.