Will the real NDPP stand up ? BJP alliance Govt's 'unstated' line defied

Nirendra Dev *

Possibly an unthinkable thing has happened. The Neiphiu Rio Cabinet in Nagaland had met Amit Shah in Nov 2024 demanding 'new interlocutor' for Naga peace talks. The plea was rejected outright.

But at the NDPP general convention on Feb 27th (Thursday), 2025, party chief Chingwang Konyak said: "... talks with the NSCN (I-M) and with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) were concluded on 31 October, 2019".

In the process, has the party chief snubbed the Rio cabinet - NDPP-BJP combine itself ? The inherent contradiction within the NDPP top leadership is palpable. A day after the speech was delivered by Chingwang Konyak in presence of Neiphiu Rio and other stalwarts, the Govt of India has rather taken a 'jaundiced view'.

Which is the real NDPP ? -- is the refrain in Delhi circles and not without good reasons.

Veteran Chingwang, a former Nagaland MP and state minister - probably saw the writing on the wall and therefore appealed "...to leaders of the (Naga) National workers to come together with one voice and settle the issue with the Government of India without further delay."

Is Chief Minister Rio also agreeing to see the 'writing on the wall' ?

Chingwang said: "The top most concern and desire of the people of Nagaland is that the leaders of the various National Workers groups lose no further time for the settlement of the political issue with India. As long as the political stalemate continues, there can be no peace in Nagaland."

Chingwang is known for his mild manner and is often taken as a soft passive kind of a personality. But way back in 1993 as the then Nagaland pradesh Congress president, he had famously told this journalist -- "I am not a rubber stamp president".

Is he displaying the same guts and decisiveness yet again ?

The then Chief Minister S C Jamir never took it lightly vis-a-vis Chingwang in 1993-94 and later he was denied the Congress ticket for the by-poll for Tehok assembly seat after sitting legislator T P Manlem had expired.

Jamir had nominated his "trusted right hand - left hand team Rio and K Therie" to meet AICC general secretary Sushilkumar Shinde and the Congress ticket for the by-poll was given to a former tourist officer W. Wangyuh Konyak, who had quit the job to try his fortune in politics.

Earlier in the 1993 general elections P Enyiye Konyak (NPC) had defeated Chingwang Konyak and the latter had several complaints about the intra-party squabbling. Whether Chingwang has made the speech on his own or he has done so at the behest of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio remains to be seen. The answer to this puzzle as of now remains in the womb of time.

Chingwang also said : "The paramount task, therefore, of the people of Nagaland is to find a permanent solution to this problem. Therefore, I appeal to leaders of the National workers to come together and with one voice and settle the issue with the Government of India without further delay."

The statement from Chingwang at this juncture deserves closer scrutiny as the NDPP Political resolution at the convention avoided raising these issues as has been flagged by the party chief himself. The Rio government has come under tremendous criticism and hence 'pressure' from multiple quarters in the last few months.

An impression has gone that the Rio Govt is not doing enough to convince the NSCN-IM leadership to agree for a final peace pact. On the other hand, the NNPG leaders such as N Kitovi Zhimomi and Alezo Venuh and Neokpao Konyak, Isak Sumi and P Tikhak are keen to sign the Solution agreement at the earliest.

The imposition of President's Rule in Manipur and appointment of Amit Shah's trusted former Babu, Ajay Bhalla as the Governor, also has made Centre's intention clear. All militant groups and others in the state of Manipur will in next few weeks come under pressure as army operation is likely to be intensified.

Governor Bhalla had given time to all groups and other concerned quarters to surrender looted and illegal arms and ammunition and the deadline expired on Feb 27th. Now the Governor has extended the deadline to March 6th till 1600 hours.

As of now it is still not very clear; but Chingwang is unlikely to draw an independent line for himself vis-a-vis Chief Minister Rio. In fact, when Chingwang floated NDPP in 2017, it was well known that Rio was providing him moral, political and other necessary support.

And both have enjoyed good rapport "like husband and wife", as Chingwang often says, Can Chingwang - who also hails from ENPO region - be now a new trump card for protagonists in Delhi ?

That's another question.

The central government has inked two preliminary pacts Framework Agreement with the NSCN-IM on Aug 3, 2015 and Agreed Position with NNPG on Nov 17, 2017. The Naga peace talks between the NSCN-IM and the centre started in 1997 during the stint of I K Gujral as the Prime Minister.

The centre has stated more than once that the parleys on the Naga political issue has concluded in October 2019. A statement to this effect was made by Nagaland Governor R N Ravi on the floor of the state assembly as well.

However, the final peace pact has been stalled because the NSCN-IM raised the bogies of a separate Flag and Naga Constitution. Both the demands have been rejected by the centre.