Rivals everywhere, but not in Nagaland: NCP backs NDPP-BJP govt after Pawar nod

NCP says its MLAs wanted to be part of the Neiphiu Rio govt “in larger interest of Nagaland”, avoids mentioning BJP in statement

With seven seats, the NCP is the largest party in the Assembly outside of the NDPP-BJP combine and it has the numbers to claim the Leader of the Opposition position. (File)

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The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is one of the BJP’s biggest opponents in Maharashtra and other parts of the country. But, in Nagaland, the party has thrown its weight behind the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-BJP government. With this, Nagaland is marching towards yet another Opposition-less government.

In the recently concluded Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections, the NDPP won 25 seats and the BJP won 12. Neiphiu Rio was sworn in as Chief Minister for a fifth term on Tuesday with a Cabinet comprising seven ministers from the NDPP and five from the BJP.

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With seven seats, the NCP is the largest party in the Assembly outside of the NDPP-BJP combine and it has the numbers to claim the Leader of the Opposition position. However, during the Nagaland trip of the party’s Northeast in-charge Narendra Verma last week, the party’s MLAs informed him that they want to join the government.

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On Wednesday, Verma announced that party supremo Sharad Pawar had decided to approve of their support to the NDPP-BJP government. Avoiding any mention of the BJP, Verma issued a statement saying, “The local newly elected MLAs and the NCP local unit of Nagaland were of the opinion that we must be part of government which is going to be headed by Mr N. Rio, Chief of NDPP and Chief Minister of Nagaland in the larger interest of the State of Nagaland and our own good relationship with Mr N. Rio. This was left to the Nationalist Congress Party’s National President Hon’ble Shri Sharad Pawar to be part or not to be part of the Nagaland government. On Tuesday morning, after listening to the North East in-charge he took the decision to accept the leadership of Mr N. Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland in the larger interest of the State of Nagaland …”

Like many other parties, in the run-up to the elections in Nagaland, the NCP welcomed sitting MLAs and aspiring candidates who had been denied tickets by their parties. The NCP’s newly appointed legislature party leader Picto Shohe was elected MLA in 2018 on a Naga People’s Front (NPF) ticket before he crossed over to the NDPP. After the NDPP did not field him, he switched to the NCP.

Also Read | Nagaland gets its first woman MLA: ‘Only first battle won…will focus on youth and minorities’

With all the other parties in the Assembly — NPP, NPF, Lok Janshakti Party LJP (Ram Vilas), Republican Party of India (Athwale), Janata Dal (United) and Independents — extending their support to the government, the state seems to be heading towards another Opposition-less government like the one which was formed in 2021.

However, the NDPP and the BJP have not yet stated that they will be taking these other parties on board the new government. On Tuesday, Rio told reporters that this question would be deliberated on by the new Cabinet.

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