How the recent walkover of BJP in Congress’s ‘Once Upon a time bastion’ has become the jewel in BJP’s crown in North East.

His image of a leader with zero tolerance for corruption has also helped him to earn people’s trust

The Narrative World    23-Mar-2023
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Northeast; the eastern most region of India representing both the geographical and political administrative division of the nation comprising Arunachal Pradesh ,Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura which all together are termed as the 7 sisters with there brother state Sikkim whacks 25 seats in Lok Sabha. Despite of the abundance of biodiversity and the diverse cultural heritage ; The northeast had been historically marginalized and less celebrated for its contributions to India, it's unique identities cultures and struggle against colonialism have either been invisible or excluded from history and the previous governments and their governance, unfortunately, shows that they excluded northeast from the nation are freedom fighters sought to build.
 
In contrast to the gap that continued to exist, was put to an end by the BJP with it’s inclusive policies woven around development and diversity. BJP has been gradually bridging the gap that existed between the governance of Centre and the northeastern states. Now people in the region truly feel that they are an integral part of India and narratives of nationhood. Manifestation of these processes of inclusion and BJP’s developmental approach which are evident in the election verdict, represent a politics of cultural and developmental synthesis beyond any single region.
 
And this coherence of BJP’s persuasion in North East was the reason of the BJP's perfect 3 on 3 in the state assembly elections, where BJP unequivocally won Tripura , and looked poised to return to power in Meghalaya and Nagaland as a junior partner in ruling coalition.
 
Meanwhile, on the other hand, the Congress won 5 seats in Meghalaya, 3 in Tripura and failed to open its account in Nagaland. Out of the total 180 seats in 3 states the grand old party could win a paltry of 8 seats in it's ‘Once Upon a time bastion’. The current predicament of Congress can be attributed to the fact that the party’s centralized command structure has not left it with any strong leader in the region.
 
Congress has to understand that doing political stunts of making a Dalit as the president and doing Yatras cannot suffice the needs of the northeastern people. Either it's the communication gap between the Congress and the North East, or the absence of cult leaders in the state during election campaigns, every step of Congress explains it’s drastic lose in the region. And the lacking of visionary and incumbent leaders in the North East's Congress is just an add on to it's defeat.
 
An analysis of all the election results, so far demonstrates that the BJP which is known for its plebiscitary characteristics has currently emerged as a staunch choice in the region. It has become the single largest party incumbent in the northeast’s current assembly, which has witnessed a phenomenal increase in it’s vote share since the landslide victory of Narendra Modi in 2014.
 
BJP in numbers:
 
The BJP which was officially formed in 1980 , had begun fielding candidates in the North East in 1984.When the first National Democratic Alliance was formed in 1999, it’s votes in the region were marginal. As compared to the previous elections of 2018, the party's vote share rose to 10 per cent in Meghalaya, 15 per cent in Nagaland, and 44 per cent in Tripura. Five years later, in the 2023 assembly election in these states, the BJP has almost maintained its vote share in Meghalaya, gained 4 per cent votes in Nagaland, and retained to power in Tripura by getting the majority alone.
 
With it’s record wins in the region, the BJP or the NDA is now in power. But this rope of power held by the BJP has 3 determinants which were successful in heaving the jewel of North East in their crown. And became the potential choice of the people.
 
“Modi Magic”
 
“What political commentators call as Modi magic has become a trend in the whole nation. And specifically for northeast, the landslide victory of Narendra Modi in 2014, paved the way for BJP in North East.Narendra Modi’s commitment to “Sabka Saath-Sabka Vikas” has been well-received by all sections of society. His image of a leader with zero tolerance for corruption has also helped him to earn people’s trust. Social security schemes have reached to all sections of society regardless of caste, creed and religion.”
 
 
 
Schemes to build concrete houses in remote hilly areas, the construction of toilets, free electricity to poor families, and free distribution of gas cylinders have helped BJP to win people’s trust. PM Modi has initiated several development projects like bringing railway, road and air connectivity for the first time to several north eastern states. His Act East Policy, electrification scheme, decentralization of power to tribal groups, eliminating insurgents and solving several local conflicts by signing BODO Accord, Naga Accord, Chakma resettlement etc. have transformed the lives of the people of Northeast.
 
Amit Shah’s influence:
 
Amit Shah’s frequent visits in the region. From the uprooting of extremist groups to making peace agreements , Amit Shah was the paragon of people’s trust there. Around 8,000 militants have joined the mainstream of society by laying down their arms since 2014. And this couldn’t have been possible without Amit Shah’s accomplished administrative policies.
 
Chanakya of Northeast:
 
The ‘piéce de résistance’(important factor) of the BJP’S emphatic win in North East is Himanta Biswa Sarma , the former Congressman and five-time MLA from Jalukbari , who left Congress because of the dynastic politics played within the Congress party. He was appointed as the convenor of NEDA (North East Democratic Alliance). The NEDA under Sarma soon started to have an impact on the politics of the northeast with 43 MLAs of Congress in Arunachal Pradesh joining the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA), an NDA ally, jolting the grand old party in 2016. This allowed the BJP to form an NDA government in Arunachal Pradesh.
 
A year later, the BJP formed the government in Manipur under N Biren Singh after it formed an alliance with the National People’s Party (NPP), and Naga People’s Front (NPF). Then in 2018, the BJP formed an alliance with Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by Neiphiu Rio and formed its government in Nagaland ; 2018 was particularly important for the BJP and the NEDA as the saffron party won Tripura assembly elections that year, along with its ally Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT). The two parties defeated the CPI(M) which was ruling Tripura since 1993.
 
BJP-led NEDA also won the Mizoram assembly elections in 2018 with Mizo National Front (MNF), an NDA ally, winning 26 seats and becoming the single largest party in the legislative assembly. With this, Congress lost power in all seven northeast states for the first time since India’s independence. Sarma piloted the formation of non-congress governments across the North East. The driving force behind the rise of BJP in the region was also pivotal to BJP’s success in the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, where he played an important role in helping the NDA to sweep all the 7 sister states. He became the torch bearer of BJP in the region.
 
A major area of BJP’s strength lies in cultural cohesiveness, which other political parties lack. The BJP has not only risen as a key player but has also collaborated with the indigenous and local parties and representatives nearby reducing the hostilities among the different fractions – a cooperative centripetal force.An interesting aspect seen in this election was the rise of people's political aspirations beyond the narrow ideological politics of divisiveness that was reproduced in the past for vote bank politics the political post of the region, It was filled with insecurities of the future which those in power capitalized in the shape of politics of divisiveness. And this aspiration and trust of people was enough to bloom the lotus in the hills.
 

Kewali 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(Kewali Kabir is a sophomore and a social environmental prospector, contemplating society and politics through cultures.)