Cong banked on defectors, now rues its decision

While getting President’s rule imposed in the state after engineering a series of defections in the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland...

While getting President’s rule imposed in the state after engineering a series of defections in the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), on the eve of the Assembly polls, was a huge mistake on the part of the Congress, it was nominating a number of defectors on party tickets that contributed in a big way towards the party’s failure to capture power in the hill state. “We are yet to identify the reasons behind our failure,” said H Sumi, president of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Sunday. However, he didn’t rule out defectors being responsible for the debacle.

So high was the rate of defections that former CM Neiphiu Rio and AICC general secretary Margaret Alva were engaged in a war of words after Rio called the Congress a pack of defectors. In fact, the Congress was at work to reduce the DAN Government to a minority since the beginning of 2007. It finally managed to do so following resignations and defections by 19 legislators of the then ruling coalition. Though it accommodated 10 of them as party candidates in the recently-concluded elections, most of them have been rejected by the people. Take the case of Kewekhape Therie.

As a prominent member of the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF), Therie served as Finance Minister in the DAN Government till November last year. He thought the best way to continue as a minister was to switch over to the Congress. The election results, however, shattered his dreams. He was defeated in the Pfutsero LAC by Neiba Kronu (NPF) by a margin of over 1,400 votes. Therie is not the only prominent Congress candidate who had defected from the NPF or DAN and ended up as a loser in the Assembly elections. The list is long and includes some important names.

Story continues below this ad

Z Obed is another prominent name in Nagaland politics, who, too, had thought that the Congress would swing back to power after the DAN Government was dismissed. But when the results were declared, Obed, a former minister, had to humbly bow down to Neikiesali Nicky Kire of the NPF in the Kohima Town LAC. While Kire polled 11,626 votes, Obed got 6,885 votes in a four-cornered contest. Tiameren Ao, who was a minister in the DAN Government, was elected in 2003 on a BJP ticket. This time, the Congress awarded him a ticket for having helped the party pull down the DAN Government. However, Tiameren lost to T Sakusangba Aier by a margin of 884 votes at Alongtaki. Same was the fate of Vatsu Meru, tourism minister who quit the DAN to help the Congress. Meru lost to TR Zeliang (NPF) by a margin of over 4,000 votes in Peren.

Howeto Awomi is probably the only prominent defector to win on a Congress ticket. He won from Ghaspani-1, defeating H Kekhiho Zhimomi of the NPF by over 1,500 votes. Among the defectors who managed to win are Kheto Kinny and Tokheho Yepthomi.

PM Modi releases special coin, stamp to mark 100 years of RSS

India3 hr ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh [RSS] had suffered at the hands of British and Nizams for its belief of ‘nation first’. He also said RSS members, including founder KB Hedgewar, had been jailed during the freedom struggle. Modi released a special commemorative postage stamp and a coin to mark the centenary of the RSS.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS