Written off less than a year ago, the Congress appears to be consolidating its position in Nagaland.
On Monday (January 20, 2025), 15 members of the National People’s Party (NPP) joined the Congress in the hill State. Headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, the NPP is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party-helmed National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that rules Nagaland.
State Congress president S. Supongmeren Jamir, who represents Nagaland’s lone Lok Sabha seat, said the joining of the NPP leaders was a turning point for his party. He also said it indicated the growing popularity of the Congress in a region where politicians tend to cross over to a ruling party.
The Neiphiu Rio-led Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) rules Nagaland in alliance with the BJP, the NPP, and other parties. The State’s 60-member Assembly is Opposition-less.
“The young and dynamic leaders who joined us are willing to work hard and contribute to Nagaland’s development. I am hopeful that this zeal will help us work with people at the grassroots,” Mr. Jamir said.
Former NPP vice-president, Bitong Sangtam said they were frustrated with the Meghalaya-centric party’s lack of progress and believed only the Congress could bring about a meaningful change in Nagaland.
The Congress ruled the Christian-majority Nagaland for years, mostly through a long phase of extremism, until the NDA ended its run in 2003. It kept losing election after election, drawing a bank in the 2023 Assembly polls.
The party, however, sprang a surprise by winning the 2024 Lok Sabha election without any organisational set-up in many parts of the State. Mr. Jamir’s victory over the NDPP’s Chumben Murry by more than 50,000 votes was deemed an upset.
