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Journalism of Courage
A clear majority in Tripura, a significant stake in Nagaland and enough power to wield influence in Meghalaya — Thursday’s poll results from the Northeast have come as a significant victory for the BJP.
The brightest spot for the party was the win in Tripura, overcoming apprehensions about the consolidated Left-Congress opposition and the tribal push against it by the newly formed Tipra Morcha of Pradyot Manikya Debbarma. More so, because the BJP had wrested the state from the Left in 2018 to mark an ideological milestone in the region.
Taking to Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted: “Thank you Tripura! This is a vote for progress and stability. @BJP4Tripura will continue to boost the state’s growth trajectory. I am proud of all Tripura BJP Karyakartas for their spectacular efforts at the grassroots.”
For Nagaland, the Prime Minister said: “The double engine government will keep working for the state’s progress. I laud our party workers for their hard work which ensured this result.”
And for Meghalaya, Modi assured voters that the party “will keep working hard to enhance the development trajectory” of the state “and focus on empowering the people”.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday was a “historic day” for the Northeast. “It is evident again that for development and prosperity, BJP led by PM Modi is people’s preference,” he said.
In Tripura, the BJP’s voteshare and seat tally came down but the margin was still decisive — 32 seats in the 60-member assembly, down from 36 in 2018. The BJP-led NDA romped home to a facile win in Nagaland, where the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is its senior partner. In Meghalaya, the party could not gain much — its tally remained two in the 60-member assembly — but its leaders are at work and have enough power to retain influence in the Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP).
According to BJP leaders, the overall outcome will boost the morale of party workers particularly because the Congress has almost been wiped out or become a minor player in these three states.
In Nagaland, the party drew a blank. In Tripura, where it is in alliance with the Left, it managed to win three seats. And its tally came down from 21 to five in Meghalaya. “This is good news for the BJP as it prepares for a direct fight with the Congress in a number of state elections this year, including Karnataka,” said a BJP MP.
Party leader Nalin Kohli, who had been working for the polls in Nagaland, said the results could be attributed to Modi’s “Act East” policy. “The BJP’s success in the Northeast is directly attributable to Prime Minister Modi’s Act East policy and the relentless pursuit of a positive agenda focusing on peace and development. Prime Minister Modi has visited the Northeast 51 times in his tenure, and ministers from his government more than 400 times, to ensure that infrastructure projects are implemented on time, beneficiaries receive their dues directly and transparently, and the double engine governments ensure delivery of promises,” Kohli told The Indian Express.
The final outcome would also mean that the party has managed to overcome accusations of being anti-minority and anti-tribal, and internal feuds. “The results indicate that the BJP’s focus on the political narrative of development and labharthis (beneficiaries) cut through the Opposition campaign. The BJP has effectively countered conventional Opposition tactics,” said Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar who was involved in the party’s campaign in the three states.
He said the BJP performance is a blow to Opposition claims of it being anti-Christian and anti-tribal.
Apart from immediate gains, party leaders said, the results will give the BJP a boost ahead of the big election season this year, which will see voting in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. “Now we have no doubt that our focus — development and beneficiaries of our programmes — will be a success in the other states as well as in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” said a senior leader.
