In a remarkable turn of events, Congress candidate S. Supongmeren Jamir has pulled off a stunning victory in the Nagaland Lok Sabha election, breaking the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) stronghold in the state. Despite the NDA’s dominance in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, where all MLAs belong to the ruling coalition, Jamir secured the lone Lok Sabha seat by defeating Chumben Murry of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) by a significant margin of 50,984 votes.
This victory marks a significant resurgence for the Congress in Nagaland, which has been grappling with a decline in its fortunes since the end of the S.C. Jamir era in 2003. After the departure of the long-serving Chief Minister S.C. Jamir, the Naga People’s Front (NPF), led by his protege Neiphiu Rio, came to power. The NPF ruled for three consecutive terms before being ousted by the newly-formed NDPP, which allied with the BJP in 2018. Despite the BJP’s presence in both the NPF-led and NDPP-led governments, the Congress has struggled to regain its footing in the state.
The Congress’ difficulties intensified after eight of its MLAs defected to the NPF in 2015. The party failed to win a single seat in the 2018 and 2023 state elections and faced challenges in finding candidates. Its fortunes in the Lok Sabha elections have also been dismal, with K. Asungba Sangtam being its last MP in 1999. The party has lost leaders and members, forcing former Minister Kewekhape Therie to resign as the state party president and hand over the reins to Mr. Supongmeren Jamir in March 2023.
However, under Jamir’s leadership, the Congress appears to have found new momentum. Jamir, a former Congress MLA, had left the party to contest on a National People’s Party ticket in 2018 but returned to his former home a few years later. After his Lok Sabha victory, Jamir expressed his determination to revive the Congress in Nagaland, stating, “We hope this will be a new beginning for Congress in Nagaland. The people felt the need for a stronger opposition to save democracy and bail the country out of discriminatory and divisive politics.”
NDPP leaders acknowledged that Jamir’s victory was unexpected. Former Minister Vatsu Meru attributed the outcome to a combination of factors, including Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra and the boycott by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) in six eastern Nagaland districts. The ENPO’s boycott resulted in a significant number of voters abstaining from the polls, which may have impacted the NDPP candidate’s chances.
Despite his victory, Jamir recognizes the challenges that lie ahead in reviving the Congress in Nagaland. He emphasized the need to strengthen the party’s base and fulfill the people’s mandate for change. Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Nagaland / General Elections 2024 / Indian National Congress
