Implementing seat sharing arrangement as per 2018 election between NDPP (40) and BJP (20) BJP for the 2023 polls is proving a difficult task as the recent meeting at New Delhi proved.
The seat sharing was being finalised at a meeting in presence of union minister for home Amit Shah. The NDPP team was led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, secretary general Abu Metha, general secretary Rusemtong Longkumer while representatives for BJP Nagaland included state president Temjen Imna Along and dy. chief minister Y. Patton.
What led to uproar in Nagaland was the report carried in social media that NDPP secretary general Abu Metha claimed he was threatened by some NSCN(I-M) member(s) to make sitting NDPP legislator Y. Vikheho Swu as alliance candidate for 13 Pughoboto assembly constituency.
It may be recalled that in 2018, BJP candidate Dr. Sukhato A. Sema contested as alliance candidate and narrowly lost by 70 votes to then sitting NPF candidate Y. Vikheho Swu (now with NDPP).
The report on social media has led to BJP Pughoboto stage a dharna in front of the state unit office because of the report and also since ticket issuance has been kept in abeyance for the constituency.
At Kohima scores of BJP workers from 13 Pughoboto constituency condemned the life threat on Abu Metha. The writing on banners and placards demanded that Abu Metha also reveal the identities of those who had issued the threat on his life. Some also read that Naga solution could not be brought by NDPP alone while some of the members voiced anguish over the issue that was doing the rounds on social media platforms.
Addressing a section of media persons at the protest venue, legal adviser of the BJP mandal, Joshua Sheqi, said the reason for their dharna was the report on social media that Metha had made a statement in front of central authorities that there was disturbance from some functionaries of NSCN (I-M) regarding issuing of ticket in Pughoboto constituency, for which the ticket issue had been kept in abeyance.
Sheqi said that being concerned and matured voters and informed members of public, the BJP members were not convinced about the social media report. He said since there were no clear evidence, the party members were not blaming anyone.
However, he said the main concern was why was issuance of ticket being kept in abeyance since as it only indicated that there must be some issue.
“If there is no issue then why is it kept in abeyance?” he asked.
Referring to a statement made by chief minister Neiphiu Rio and another NDPP party leader denying that any such comment was made by Metha, Sheqi suspected that there could “definitely” be some reasons why issuing of BJP party ticket in Pughoboto had been kept in abeyance.
He remarked that even if it may even be assumed that some were involved in pressing the ticket for NDPP with regard to 13 Pughoboto, it would be the people who are going to decide. He said while there had been an understanding that the seat would be for BJP as per the 40:20 seat sharing arrangement between NDPP and BJP respectively; it would be unfortunate if the understanding between NDPP and BJP was broken.
“In the last election, our candidate lost by a very close margin. However, this time he is in a good position and, God willing, we will prevail with a comfortable margin,” he commented.
He claimed that both BJP State president Temjen Imna Along and deputy chief minister Y Patton had previously said Pughoboto was a BJP seat.
Therefore, he said he was hopeful that party leaders would also press hard that the ticket was given to BJP in accordance with the understanding that had already been made since the last Assembly election.
“We are not blaming anyone. But, if any element is involved then it should be understood by everyone that it is not only NDPP that is for Naga solution but even BJP. So, there should be no misunderstanding in this regard,” he clarified.
He hoped that the good understanding between the coalition partners would prevail.
Party leaders from the constituency also held a meeting with BJP State level leaders after the dharna.
CM , NDPP refute report of threat
Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio and NDPP senior vice president Rusemtong Longkumer in a statement refuted a report in a YouTube channel ‘Dimapur Today’ that quoted NDPP secretary general Abu Metha as having said that he was getting life threats to allocate party ticket in 13 Pughoboto Assembly constituency.
They said the channel, citing sources, had falsely claimed that at a meeting between leaders of NDPP and BJP that took place in Delhi on Thursday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and State BJP leaders, including deputy chief minister Y Patton and State BJP president Temjen Imna Along, that Metha had stated that he was getting life threats to allocate NDPP ticket.
Rio and Longkumer, who were also present at the meeting, clarified that such a statement was never made by the NDPP secretary general nor discussed in the meeting.
NSCN (I-M) rejects allegation
Outrightly rejecting the “baseless claims and allegations”, NSCN (I-M) said such misleading news floating in social media was only targeted to put NSCN in bad light. In a statement, circulated on social media, NSCN (I-M) MIP said “it is a matter of regret that NSCN’s name has been dragged into the issue of seats sharing between NDPP and BJP in the ensuing Nagaland state assembly election.”
“Be it 13 A/C Pughoboto or any other constituency NSCN has not involved in any manner whatsoever,” it said. MIP said NSCN would not stoop low to that level as alleged to favour the 13 Pughoboto AC or for that matter for any candidate.