In a significant turn of events, the Congress party has made notable gains in the Lok Sabha elections in the northeastern states, securing seven seats. This marks a considerable improvement for the grand old party, which wrested seats from the BJP and its allies in Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Assam.
The Congress made a notable impact by capturing two seats in Manipur and one seat each in Nagaland and Meghalaya from the BJP and its allies. Additionally, the party secured three seats in Assam, bolstering its presence in the region.
Conversely, the BJP maintained its stronghold in Assam, winning nine seats. The party also retained two seats each in Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. Currently, the BJP heads the governments in these states, along with Manipur.
BJP ally National People’s Party (NPP) faced a setback in Meghalaya, losing both its seats to the Congress and the Voice of the People Party. Similarly, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) lost the lone Nagaland seat to the Congress. Despite these losses, BJP’s allies United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in Assam, along with the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) in Sikkim, managed to secure one seat each.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won 14 out of the 25 seats in the northeastern states, while the Congress secured four seats. State parties and an Independent nominee claimed the remaining seven seats. Notably, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) in Assam, NDPP in Nagaland, Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram, NPP in Meghalaya, Naga People’s Front (NPF) in Manipur, SKM in Sikkim, and an Independent candidate in Assam each won one seat in 2019.
Although the MNF is part of the NDA’s northeast chapter, the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) led by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Mizoram Chief Minister and Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) President Lalduhoma announced that his party would maintain an equal distance from both the BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led INDIA bloc.
Meghalaya Congress chief and former Union Minister Vincent H. Pala, who has held the Shillong Lok Sabha seat since 2009, faced a significant defeat to Ricky Andrew J. Syngkon of the Voice of the People Party. However, Congress candidate Saleng A. Sangma triumphed in the Tura seat, defeating ruling NPP nominee and former Union Minister Agatha K. Sangma, the younger sister of Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP supremo Conrad K. Sangma.
Political analysts suggest that prolonged ethnic violence in Manipur and unresolved ethnic issues in Nagaland and Meghalaya contributed to the BJP’s electoral setbacks in these states. The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) had called for a boycott of the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19, demanding a separate state comprising six districts in eastern Nagaland. The boycott saw a significant response, with voters in these districts abstaining from the polls.
Tripura Congress President Asish Kumar Saha credited Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra for the party’s improved performance in the region. Gandhi’s yatra, which commenced from Manipur on January 14, focused on five ‘guarantees’ (Nyay) and visited most northeastern states, evoking a positive response from the public.
“The Nyay Yatra has also stirred the minds of the people across the country and accordingly the Congress achieved better results in the Lok Sabha polls,” Saha told IANS.
Sources By Agencies