'Ghar Wapsi' on cards for Team Neiphiu Rio-Chingwang ?

Nirendra Dev *

Neiphiu Rio :: Pix Courtesy - Oken Jeet Sandham (NEPS)

Neiphiu Rio has thrown a 'royal Angami Naga' challenge to Amit Shah ? Will Congress revival start from Kohima ?

The Rio-loyalists may like to believe if the Chief Minister says Sun rises in the west; he may make that happen. Thanks to a passive BJP !!

Long back, Late Chalie Kevichusa as Editor of Dimapur-based 'Ura Mail' wrote - "Hey Imcha looks like Vamuzo". Imchalemba Ao was NPC candidate for the Lok Sabha poll in 1991 but the posters across Dimapur, Kohima and other key political hubs carried the snap of the then Chief Minister Vamuzo.

This episode of the 1990s seems to have come back now to haunt us in circa 2025. Pause for a while ! You may all say - "Hey Supongmeren Jamir speaks like Rio, behaves like Rio and is also LUCKY like Rio"

Next thing you all might ask is - which Church does Supongmeren Jamir, Congress Lok Sabha MP, pray ? Or if you think like 'netas of the good old days' - Who is Supong's astrologer?

Fortune is favouring him like never before and never like anyone earlier. Most of it actually generates from Neiphiu Rio's political compulsion.

In 2024, Supong's good luck started the moment he was given Congress ticket. The buzz was K L Chishi was last approached almost with folded hands by Supong and two of his 'compatriots'. One of them people say - is "close" to Chingwang Konyak-led outfit floated in 2017.

Supongmeren Jamir had a cakewalk in the Lok Sabha election and he could humble no less than the NDPP candidate. This electoral feat was unthinkable as Congress had zero MLAs in 2018 and also in 2023 assembly polls.

The talk then was even as Rio was 'smiling' at the poll outcome on June 4 (2024); analysts thought Naga Christians had decided to teach pro-Hindutva BJP a lesson and hence NDPP nominee - poor Chumben Murry was punished.

This is what is called Political Billiard. You hit one ball but the other ball gets into the net.

Neiphiu Rio is an old Congress hand and for a few days during the Lok Sabha voting, he thought - the Luck should favour the Congress nominee.

Supong is a gentleman. Even with the worst critic among journos (this blogger in Delhi), he is always courteous to offer lunch and good snacks. So he could not be disloyal to the NDPP party also. So on July 30, 2024 making his maiden speech in Lok Sabha, he backed the 'pet project' of Kohima district (read Neiphiu Rio's) - the new airport.

In Kohima, Chief Minister Rio was again laughing. The Congress lawmaker pointed out: "Nagaland is the only state whose capital does not have an airport, so I would like to request the government to give the project a priority".

Mortals among journalists - like this blogger - and mortals among Netas - K Therie were (both) puzzled. What is the Congress MP saying?

In the entire process, Neiphiu Rio has also thrown a virtual 'royal Angami' challenge to India's Home Minister Amit Shah. "I will do hobnobbing with the Congress ... and let's see what you can do". Secondly, "I will talk of the Naga integration even if everyone else seems to agree that no disintegration of Manipur is possible, especially post-2023 violence".

So what even if Naga rebels have almost agreed that Integration is now a resolved issue. Nevertheless, Supong's 'real well wisher and de facto boss took note of the duty discharged by the lawmaker.

Come Feb 28th, 2025 - an order on 'Allotment of VIP Quarters' was issued from the Chief Minister's Secretariat -- signed by Additional Secretary - Sentiwapang Aier. It states : "Quarter No PCCF, Forest Colony, which was earlier occupied by Shri Chingwang Konyak, advisor, may be allotted to Hon'ble MP Lok Sabha, Shri Supongmeren Jamir".

Congrats Supong. You have created another history ! You are the first MP who has been allotted a VIP quarter in Kohima by the state Government.

Because you hail from an NSF background, I may share with you that a former NSF president and MP of the 9th Lok Sabha Shikiho Sema too was a Congress lawmaker and also PCC president when a regional CM Vamuzo was in power.

Late Shikiho could not even once send a wireless message to the Union Telecom ministry on a certain issue once because the Chief Minister had allegedly not given clearance for the same.

That your illustrious predecessor was an ear-on-ground leader and moody at times. He picked up a Naga Dao and used it on the speechless wires. Vamuzo later said - "We have forgotten and forgiven Congress MP's goondaism".

In contrast, look at you - oh boy --- you have done it. Please invite me for dinner in your VIP quarter and do not forget to invite even the Rajya Sabha MP even as she belongs to the BJP.

What's the small bargain you have made? In far off Ukraine, the helpless President Zelenskyy would like to learn some tricks from you !! And I can assure that the Team Paphino of NSF of the 1990s would be also very proud of you.

There is another aspect in the entire tale. An AICC leader recently visited Nagaland and he suddenly mustered the confidence to claim that in the 2028 assembly polls, the Congress will come to power in Nagaland.

Such confidence sounded like a joke for many. But if he has drawn strength from the Chingwang-led outfit, he has a reason. “With my appointment to this new position, our goal is to leave no stone unturned so that by 2028, we can form the government in Nagaland,” Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka had asserted.

The NDPP's alleged hobnobbing with the opposition camp in national politics started the moment some MPs in Rajya Sabha had obliged the Status Quo club and signed a letter addressed to Amit Shah. The MHA may still be unmindful.

Meanwhile, the talk also is that the Rio-Chingwang combo is in hurry to strike a 'good deal' with the Congress party in Nagaland because soon the AICC may appoint C Apok Jamir as the new pradesh Congress president.