‘Inner politics’ within state BJP

July 18, 2020 345 Views No Comment

Correspondent, KOHIMA
JUL 17 (NPN)

Will follow central leadership directive: Temjen Imna Along

All’s not still well in the Nagaland BJP, despite the recent advice of the national party leaders to the bickering state leaders to pull up their socks and work together in the interest of the party.

The issue of presidentship of the party has been pushed to the fore at a time when everyone’s concern and focus was on battling coronavirus in the state.

Party insiders disclosed that the current problem has been kept on fire mainly due to the fact that though BJP is a pre-poll ally of NDPP, yet there are overtures from erstwhile ally, NPF.

In the party, the sources said it was an open secret that current party president Temjen Imna Along has been pitched against party stalwart and deputy chief minister and BJP Legislature Party leader, Y. Patton.

The sources said Patton maintained that the party follow the principle of ‘One Man One Post’, meaning the Temjen Imna Along ought to give way to a full-time party president.

However, this plea apparently did not hold water with the Central leadership as was evident from the outcome of the recent meeting in New Delhi.

More importantly, with two by-elections to be announced (Southern Angami-I held by NDPP and Pungro-Kiphire held by NPF), BJP would also demand its seat share. If seven rebel NPF legislators are eventually disqualified, it could result in a total of nine by elections. This is where BJP would want to increase its tally and not rest content with playing second fiddle.

Against the backdrop of crisis in the State BJP, party state president Temjen Imna Along clarified that it was not his prerogative to decide whether to remain in the post as it was for the central leadership and that he would abide by such decision.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, Along mentioned that he was appointed as the BJP State president when he was a minister. Along said he cannot decide on whether to continue as party chief since he was just a kayakarta (worker). “I will do whatever my party leadership asks me,” he said .

The party is scheduled to organise virtual rally on July 22 where the issue was likely to be also discussed.

Meanwhile, another source from BJP informed this correspondent that issues within the party would be resolved during the July 22 consultative meeting.

The party faced a major crisis after 10 of its district presidents demanded replacement of the State president, insisting on one man, one post formula.

Soon after arriving from Delhi on July 16, Y. Patton accompanied by S. Pangnyu Phom and Jacob Zhimomi maintained that majority of the party MLAs felt that the state president should not be a legislator but a senior worker who could devote full time to party affairs.

They said that, as per direction of the central leaders, party’s legislators reached New Delhi on July 12 and held two meetings with the leaders led by national president JP Nadda and others on July 13 to discuss the matter as it was felt necessary for settling it.

The MLAs claimed that the central leaders gave them a patient hearing and assured them that the issue would be resolved very soon.

BJP in Nagaland which won its highest ever tally of 12 seats in Nagaland in the 2018 assembly election, has six cabinet ministers in the 12-member ministry, while NDPP with 21 legislators has five ministers(including the chief minister) an another independent as minister.

BJP ministers hold major portfolios– 1. home, PWD (R&B); 2. health & family welfare; 3. transport & communication, civil aviation and railways, land resources; 4. PHE; 5. soil & water conservation, women & child development and 6. higher education & technical education, tribal affairs. Besides, BJP also has six advisers.

Almost every state BJP presidents have been chosen by the national party leaders. This indicates that the trust and confidence on any president was paramount for the national party leaders.