Emergence of NPP in region's electoral politics
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 24, 2021 -
WHETHER the National People's Party (NPP) emerges as the single largest party or not in the 2022 assembly elections, only time will tell.
However, it could be safely stated that besides BjP, NPP along with NPF and Congress will be formidable contenders for power or kingmaker in case of a fractured mandate, as could be comprehended from the Conrad Sangma-led party yet to formally approach any other parties for pre-poll alliances.
Regardless of BJP leaders eyeing for a governmentof its own, the existing geopolitical situation centred on asymmetrical socio-political aspirations of dominant communities points to a hung assembly and inevitability of a coalition government.
The BJP's goal to exclusively hold the rein of power may be based on the saying that too many cooks spoil the broth but people of Manipur are apprehensive that absolute power bestowed upon a single party might corrupt the system of governance and turn the establishment arrogant.
For the record, in the first general elections after independence in 1952, members of the Indian National Congress/which had fought for India's freedom from British rule, were elected with an overwhelming majority to the first Lok Sabha and a one-party government was formed at the Centre.
Thereafter, with victory in each successive general election, the Congress became a bit too cocksure.
Whilst it did tolerate a contrariety of beliefs and opinions amongst the diverse people of India, it became progressively intolerant.
But that aspiration got frustrated in 1973, when a bench of 13 judges of the Supreme Court put a stop to all amendments that violated the Constitution's basic structure.
Notwithstanding the argument put forth by the then Congress government that an elected parliament must be supreme and not unelected court, the judges pointed out that it was neither parliament nor the highest court that was supreme but upholding of the Constitution of India should be paramount.
Moreover, contemporary political pundits have been giving the observations that only when electoral politics is no longer dominated by one single political party India will become a country where all points of view could be freely expressed, freely heard and relieve the voters from an over-abundance of political power concentrated in a single political party at the Centre or states.
In the same vein, the adult franchisees of Manipur too believe in the doctrine that concentration of power in a single party might lead to undermining their views and community-centric goals.
Such perception was exactly the reason why in the 2017 assembly elections the people's elected representatives represented no less than six political organisations.
Though it's a different tale now with the number of coalition partners shrunk as some of the ruling MLAs have joined the BJP, there is strong possibility that verdict in the upcoming elections might be repetition of the previous polls.
In such a scenario, it is obvious that parties such as NPP and NPF among the present allies of the BJP would either stake claim for government formation or decide who should helm the affairs, if they have the numbers on their side.
With NPF's cause confined to interests of the Nagas and aura of the once invincible Congress on the wane, it shouldn't be surprising for anybody if the NPP, led by a devout Christian leader with regional nationalism as its trump card, leads the race for government formation as was asserted by NPP president and Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma during Monday's election campaigns for party's intending candidates in Kshetrigao and Yaiskul assembly constituencies.
As it is part of the NEDA, which in turn is an NDA ally, NPP undoubtedly is the entity to watch out for in the 2022 assembly elections.
* Comments posted by users in this discussion thread and other parts of this site are opinions of the individuals posting them (whose user ID is displayed alongside) and not the views of e-pao.net. We strongly recommend that users exercise responsibility, sensitivity and caution over language while writing your opinions which will be seen and read by other users. Please read a complete Guideline on using comments on this website.