Election dates for the three northeastern states – Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland – will be announced any day now. While Tripura is ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the other two, the BJP is part of the ruling coalition.
All the parties are gearing up for the elections, have a look at the election dynamics in three states.
Tripura (60 seats)
Tribals dominate 20 of Tripura’s 60 seats. In the 2018 elections, BJP won 33 seats, Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) 4, Communist Party of Tripura India (M) 15, and INC one. Six seats are vacant.
BJP
The BJP came to power by uprooting the 25-year-old Left party and Biplab Deb became the Chief Minister. The BJP replaced him last May, amid a series of complaints. Now Dr. Manik Saha is running the government. BJP is trying to keep IPFT with it. The Union Home Minister and BJP leader also launched the Jan Vishwas Yatra, which the party feels will have a good impact.
Tipra Motha
Tipra Motha, a new player set up by Pradyut Manikya (the royal heir apparent who was earlier with the Congress) has good influence in 20 tribal seats. They have demanded a separate Tipraland. He has openly declared that he will forge an alliance with any party that assures him of this. Sources in Tipra Motha claim that IPFT is in talks with him.
Trinamool Congress (TMC)
From 2021, TMC is also trying to make its presence there with Sushmita Dev Burman. Though he did not make any impact in the municipal polls, sources say he is confident of winning some seats here. Mamata Banerjee Plans to visit Tripura by the end of the month.
Congress-CPM
One of the highlights of the Tripura elections will be that the Left and the Congress, once arch-rivals, have decided to come together to fight the BJP. This happened in Bengal in 2016 as well.
Meghalaya (60 seats)
While Konrad Sangma of the National People’s Party is the chief minister, his party NPP has 20 seats, United Democratic Party (UDP) 8, People’s Democratic Front (PDF) 2, BJP 2 and 2 independents. The opposition TMC has 9 seats as Mukul Sangma joined them. Fourteen posts are vacant.
npp
NPP has declared the names of candidates for 58 seats. Though they were in alliance with the BJP, the NPP has always believed in going it alone. This time also he will contest the election alone. In a major setback to the main opposition TMC, two MLAs – Jimmy D Sangma and Marthan Sangma – joined the ruling NPP after quitting both the party and the assembly.
BJP
Two NPPs, one Congress and one Independent have recently joined BJP. Although the BJP was with Konrad in the government, they are expanding. Party insiders say that the BJP feels that it will have a good share this time.
Congress
Congress is in worst condition in Meghalaya. 12 of the 17 seats it held went to Mukul Sangma. The Congress suspended five MLAs for supporting the NPP, two of whom joined the NPP.
TMC
12 Congress MLAs have joined TMC. Mukul Sangma is hopeful that TMC will do well in the assembly elections and Mamata Banerjee will visit Meghalaya for the second time on January 18 with Abhishek Banerjee. Mukul Sangma himself is contesting from two seats this time. Out of 12 MLAs, 3 MLAs have already left TMC, 2 have gone to NPP and 1 to BJP.
Nagaland (60 seats)
The current ruling coalition is the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) consisting of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), the BJP and the Naga People’s Front (NPF). Neiphiu Rio of NDPP is the Chief Minister. There is no opposition in Nagaland as 21 NPF MLAs have joined the UDA. In 2018, NPF got 26, NDPP 18, BJP 12, NPP 2, JDU 1 and Independent 1 seat.
BJP
The BJP has plans to increase its numbers as they have solved various problems related to militancy. They feel that the partial repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) could work in their favour.
The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO), an umbrella organization of seven tribal bodies, is demanding a separate state, ‘Frontier Nagaland’, of 16 districts. A three-member central team constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), headed by Advisor (North East) AK Mishra, visited Nagaland in mid-December and held several meetings with various Naga bodies including ENPO, Eastern Nagaland. Representatives of Women’s Organisation, Eastern Nagaland Students Union and ‘Gaon Bura Sangh’. ENPO is all set to call for a boycott.
naga talks
There is no clarity on Naga peace talks, which will be a big issue this time.
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