BJP gets a 'pan-Nagaland' face in Chishi

New Delhi/Dimapur, Jan 24: After years of struggle, finally the BJP seems to have come of age in Nagaland as former Chief Minister and a local heavyweight KL Chishi joined the saffron party earlier this week -- giving the party its first 'pan-Nagaland' face.

From the stage in early nineties when a little known politician Pius Lotha first floated the state unit of BJP, it has been a journey of hard work for the party whose alleged "impious pro-Hindutva" slant always used to be a challenge to make headway in the pre-dominantly Christian state.
It later on had the services of likes of NC Zeliang as BJP state unit chief when he also contested 1993 assembly polls from Dimapur-1. Even film star-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha had campaigned for him but there was no success.
In electoral term, the success for BJP in Nagaland came only in 2003 when it won seven seats in the 60-member assembly and joined the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government led by Neiphio Rio.
In March 2003, veteran Hokishe Sema was elected Nagaland unit president of BJP but by then former Chief Minister and an ex-Governor of Himachal Pradesh had turned 83. Hokishe Sema later died in 2007.
The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was impressed by party's success and had said that, "we should have focused more in states like Nagaland for our campaign instead of spending too much time in Himachal Pradesh which we lost".
But KL Chishi's joining the saffron bandwagon is significant in more ways than one. "He brings into the party a formidable face. The hesitation to join BJP is now over and our march is only way forward," a Nagaland BJP leader told UNI also hinting that after the ensuing February 27 polls, the saffron party would be keen to have Chief Minister of its own.
"We have elected BJP chief ministers in Manipur and Assam and now we are confident of repeating the same in Nagaland as well," the source said. For his part, Mr Chishi, an advocate-turned-politician says, "I have decided to join BJP because I know, only BJP can deliver on Naga political problem.....After years of my association, I quit Congress because they cannot bring in the solution, they probably do want to deliver as well".
A good orator, Mr Chishi hails from Zunheboto district and is from Sema tribe, whose contribution to the 'Naga political movement' has been immense. In fact, the Late Isak Chishi Swu, the founder Chairman of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak Muivah) faction also was a Sema Naga.
In the past also, Mr Chishi had lauded BJP's political approach and in 1990s had created a political uproar for sometime when he said, Pt Jawaharlal Nehru was more to be blamed for partition of India than Mohammed Ali Jinnah.
"Nehru told Jinnah, divided we stand as individuals and united we both fall," Mr Chishi had told local journalists.
Educated in Mumbai for some years, at one point Mr Chishi along with former Chief Minister Vamuzo Phesao, now deceased, enjoyed good personal rapport with several BJP leaders including the incumbent Governor PB Acharya, who was then BJP in-charge for north east.
However, in the political flux - as being witnessed in the state now - two regional forces NPF led by Shurhozelie - TR Zeliang combine and newly floated NDPP are keen for an alliance with the BJP.
"As of now, of several leaders who joined BJP many of them are not electorally strong candidates. But in polls, game changes on ground. Moreover, with Narendra Modi as a chief campaigner, many non-entities may do well," says political observer Sanjay Sabherwal.
He also feels with Congress not quite strong having experienced desertion and two regional parties and BJP making determined efforts, the state seems to be heading for a hung assembly.
Former Chief Minister Neiphio Rio, authorized by NDPP chief Chingwang Konyak, has already met BJP national president Amit Shah and party general secretary Ram Madhav in Delhi and discussed pre-poll alliance.
For its part, NPF, which had announced its decision to snap ties with BJP recently, now says it is keen for the alliance to continue.
In its central executive council meeting in Kohima on Tuesday, NPF decided to reinstate its ties with the BJP and also go to the February 27 assembly polls with TR Zeliang as its chief ministerial candidate.
"We want to continue the alliance with BJP as this is what is desired by different sections of the people," a NPF spokesman said. UNI