This is real New India: 'Chizami Model' working in Gujarat ?

Nirendra Dev *

The ‘Rip Van Winkle' story is related to number 20. This syndrome came to haunt 20 MLAs in Eastern Nagaland during the April 19 Lok Sabha election this year.

It also caught up with 40 others -- especially on the polling day when grossly underestimated Supongmeren Jamir of Congress gave a spirited fight and almost handed over a shocking mandate to the NDPP nominee Chumben Murry.

That is why we say the 'Rip Van Uncle' phenomenon caught up those on the other side of the table as faceless voers hoped to turn the tide ... and got a chance to teach the 'stakeholders' a lesson.

Clever politicians can learn lessons pretty fast and so they took corrective measures on the polling day itself. Maybe the prestige has been saved. .

Meanwhile, in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat; two Congress candidates-- Indore and Surat have withdrawn from the contest indicating that the BJP is already 2-0 into the next Lok Sabha.

Surrender or withdrawal of candidates have happened in the past as well. But once the last date of nomination withdrawal is over -- the contest remains.

This withdrawal of candidates just on the eve of voting day after the nomination withdrawal date is over is really surprising. It is a rare syndrome and probably started closer home in Nagaland from Chakhesang-stronghold Chizami.

Look, how it has traveled to Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh ?

Prior to 2018 - probably none knew about such things in Nagaland.

It was visible in Chizami in 2018 and it again surfaced again in 2023 polls and in the second instance - former MP and state Power Minister K.G (Aja) Kenye benefited. In both instances Kevechutso Doulo was the loser. The vote share data can explain my argument.

NPF's Kezhienyi Khalo was the sitting MLA having won the election in 2018; but in 2023, his tally came down to 104. Is this politically or let us assume even humanly possible in Nagaland - that too from a politica outfit like NPF ? And that for a sitting legislator.

NPP nominee Vevoyi Wideo took away 3,310 voters making it around 20.21% percent of votes. While Kenye of NDPP had polled 7,088 voters as opposed to 43.28% and Kevechutso Doulo polled 5,809 voters.

Doulo quit BJP and had contested the polls on the LJP(Ram Vilas) ticket as the Chizami seat was also snatched by NDPP in 2023 from the kitty of the Lotus party.

In 2018 also we had almost a similar tale and the one to benefit was Kezhienyi Khalo. Deo Nukhu had won the 2013 poll as an NPF candidate but in 2018 he contested on an NPP ticket.

Khalo was the NPF nominee. In 2018, Nukhu's vote share came down to 1667 - about 10 percent. Khalo won the seat bagging 6563 votes and BJP nominee Kevechutso Doulo had ended up runners up polling 6,160 that is - 40.44 percent of vote share.

Now, another related question comes in -- but a vital one --- Why are Naga people always silent and yet angry? Well, they have many reasons.

One way of showing their 'unhappiness' was the recent story of shutters down in Dimapur - state's preferred commercial hub and also elsewhere.

Business chambers and common people are unhappy with extortion-related episodes. Of course, this is an old problem and extortion rockets have mainly thrived in the last two and half decades.

Some people are blaming it on the 24 Naga militant groups. But what about "extortion" at other sources?

The extortion menace was flagged off by the then Governor R N Ravi. He was hardly appreciated in public . When stakeholders could have welcomed Ravi's statement Some people worked for his exit, help was enlisted from Assam as well and Ravi was shunted out.

Did Nagaland gain by his removal?

And as we try to raise some uncomfortable questions, we also know how government contractors operate or rather what is being lately whispered -- the coractors are forced to 'cooperate'.

Nagaland to a certain variety of people will always be a Model State of 'Good Governance' province.

Here everybody was 'happy' --- and is still happy -- the government servants, Netas, contractors. Share the love and achievements in the right percentage -- and happiness thrives.

Late Congress leader Shikiho Sema described the mixed-package of extortion (and threat letters) along with corruption to -- Juicy fruits with thorns.

But about the common people? What about the children and youngsters when they grow up knowing that to be rich is the ultimate goal and that corruption is a via route ?

Will this generation blame only the 'extortionists' ? What about other kinds of extortion ? -- a church leader asked me in 2022. .

It’s a truism that every change or a big building constructed is not a sign of progress. This holds true for the state of Nagaland as well.