Winds of Change

Ethnic questions and local dynamics make the Bharatiya Janata Party lose ground in the Northeast

- Sandipan Talukdar

THE Northeast was not easy ground for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to enter without allying with the local forces, be it the National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland, or the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) in Assam. The alliances have managed to rule for a decade now, which has been seemingly unwavering. But the outcomes of the 2024 Lok Sabha election in the region has put a brake on BJP’s easy flow, posing challenges to the local allies as well at least in Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura, while Mizoram went to the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM), the independent regional force that emerged in last year’s assembly election there.

All of these states have their idiosyncratic issues and their own alternatives for which to vote. Notwithstanding, there are also concerns that prevail across the entire region, even where the BJP has registered victories. These concerns surround the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), religious freedom, ethnic identity, ILP (Inner Land Permit), etc.

Meghalaya: BJP Ally NPP Trounced

On the first day of the budget session of the newly formed Conrad Sangma-led coalition government (in 2023) Voice of the People Party (VPP) leader and Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit staged a walk-out protesting against the delivery of the inaugural speech in Hindi by Phagu Chauhan, the governor of Meghalaya.

Formed as recently as in 2021, the VPP has emerged as the primary Opposition party in Meghalaya, which has four MLAs in the Meghalaya assembly for the first time. While other regional parties in Meghalaya—barring the NPP, had chosen to stand with the government—the VPP stood against it consistently.