NE state parties key for national players to govern a complex region

Once a stronghold of the Congress, the eight northeastern states are now dominated by the BJP and the state parties, which are indispensable for the national parties to govern the region.

Meghalaya’s National People’s Party (NPP), Nagaland’s Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Mizoram’s Mizo National Front (MNF) and Sikkim’s Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) with a solid political base are governing their respective states and are allies of the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

The NPP, headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, however, has a substantial base in Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and a reasonable number of MLAs in these three northeastern states besides Meghalaya, where the party is dominating the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.

In the NDA meeting, held on July 18 in New Delhi, as many as eleven parties from the eight northeastern states took part.    

The parties include, NPP, NDPP, MNF, SKM, Indigenous People's Front of Tripura, Naga People's Front, Asom Gana Parishad, United People's Party Liberal, Kuki People's Alliance, United Democratic Party, Hill State People's Democratic Party.

On the other hand, no parties based in the northeastern states took part in the two-day meeting of the opposition alliance -- Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – in Bengaluru.

The parties, which have a substantial base in the northeastern states and are not part of either  grouping, NDA and INDIA, are Assam’s All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), Tripura’s Tipra Motha Party (TMP), Mizoram’s Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and Manipur People’s Party (MPP).  

The Muslim based party AIUDF, headed by Lok Sabha MP Badruddin Ajmal and former royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barman led TMP have a strong base in their respective areas and might pose a challenge to both the BJP and the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The AIUDF has 15 members in the 126-member Assam assembly.

The ZPM with six MLAs in the 40-member Mizoram assembly is the main opposition party in that state.

Founded in 1968, the MPP, which is considered one of the oldest regional parties in India, is currently weakened due to many reasons including factional feud. It has formed governments in Manipur in three different regimes 1972-73, 1974 and 1990-1992.

Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the eight northeastern states, 14 are currently with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while the Congress has four and seven Lok Sabha seats are held by state parties and Independents.

The AIUDF in Assam, NDPP in Nagaland, MNF in Mizoram, NPP in Meghalaya, NPF in Manipur, SKM in Sikkim and an Independent (Naba Kumar Sarania) in Assam have one seat each.

Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats, Assam has 14 constituencies, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura have two seats each, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim have one seat each.

The BJP is now heading governments in four northeastern states – Assam, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur – with the support of the local parties.

The TMP, after capturing the politically important Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) in April 2021, has been demanding elevation of the areas of the autonomous body by granting a ‘Greater Tipraland State’ or a separate state status under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

Highlighting the ‘Greater Tipraland State’ demand and throwing a challenge to all the national parties -- BJP, CPI (M), Congress and Trinamool Congress -- the TMP, the first tribal-based party in Tripura since 1952, emerged as the principal opposition in the state in the February assembly polls and is now the main stakeholder of the vote share of tribals, who always played a vital role in the electoral politics of Tripura.

Before next year’s parliamentary poll, eying 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, the Congress like its previous efforts, has initiated moves to form a 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) with the like-minded smaller and state parties.

The Congress held a meeting of 11 opposition parties excluding the AIUDF, Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress in Guwahati recently.

Assam Congress president Bhupen Bora, who called the meeting, had said that they would check the division of votes in next year’s Lok Sabha polls in Assam as the BJP always gets electoral mileage due to the division of votes among the non-BJP parties.

After attending the NDA meeting in New Delhi on July 18, top leaders of the parties from the northeastern region expressed the confidence that the BJP-led NDA would do well in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the northeast.

Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP supremo Conrad K Sangma tweeted : “Attended the meeting of the National Democratic Alliance partners chaired by Hon’ble PM, Sh. Narendra Modi ji at New Delhi. The meeting sets an optimistic tone for a continued shared commitment for our country’s future.”

Senior leader of NDPP and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in a tweet said ; “Happy to join NDA leaders in commemorating 25 yrs of NDA, representing NDPP along with Shri Abu Metha, Secretary General of NDPP. No alliance has been intact for this long. It reflects the able leadership of Shri Narendra Modi ji. Thankful for his focus & support to the NE region.”

“Glad to attend a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) constituents, representing the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), along with Hon'ble AGP Working President Shri Keshab Mahanta in New Delhi,” tweeted Assam Minister and Asom Gana Parishad president Atul Bora.

Founding leader of the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in a tweet said : “Attended the meeting of the NDA chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji at New Delhi. Under the able leadership and guidance of the Hon’ble PM, we reaffirm our collective commitment to serve the people, provide good governance and focus on overall development for a better future.”

Even as the BJP remains in an advantageous position by virtue of running the government in four out of the eight states in the northeastern region, the regional parties are expected to play a significant role in next year's Lok Sabha elections.