Ever since 2014, when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the Centre; forging alliance with the regional parties to defeat Congress has always been a strategy for the saffron party, especially in the northeast.
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As the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a unified forum of non-Congress parties in the Northeast, faced setbacks for various reasons. The BJP, its prominent member, is now emphasising seat adjustments to convey a united front in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024.
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In Meghalaya, the BJP has engaged in seat adjustments with the National People & Party (NPP), leaving two seats for its ally in Tura and Shillong. Similarly, in Assam, out of the 14 seats, the BJP is contesting for 11, with its partners AGP and UPPL contesting for two and one seat respectively. BJP aims to signal its commitment to working in harmony with regional parties, thus keeping alive the aspirations of the region, said a source in the BJP who is also a member of the Assam BJP executive committee.
However, not all regional parties align with the saffron brigade. For instance, the Mizo National Front, a key member of NEDA, is contesting elections in Mizoram, where the BJP has also fielded candidates. Similarly, the BJP faces opposition from the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha in Sikkim.
This trend is a departure from the 2019 elections when, apart from Assam, the BJP and its allies Did not engage in seat-sharing arrangements.
Additionally, the BJP is refraining from contesting the Outer Manipur seat in Manipur, supporting the NPF instead. Similarly, it abstained from Nagaland, where the NDPP is contesting. The solidarity among NDA constituents is apparent, with NPP not putting up any candidate in Arunachal Pradesh and supporting the BJP candidates.
“Regional parties are still calling the shots in the Northeast,” said the BJP source adding that but it is an advantage for the BJP as regional parties know the local sentiments and the alliance finally turns victorious for the BJP.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had announced support to candidates of three regional parties in the Northeast for the ensuing Parliamentary polls slated to start from April 19.
BJP said that the party would support the Naga People’s Front (NPF) candidate in the Outer Manipur constituency, National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland.
In Assam, the saffron party is also supporting candidates of Asom Gana Parishad (Barpeta and Dhubri seats) and the United People’s Party Liberal (Kokrajhar).
Regional parties may be calling the shots but not in Assam as the AGP sought four seats but they were given only two.
AGP even changed their stance on Citizenship Amendment Act to support the BJP when the act was passed in the parliament, but still the regional party always have to compromise during seat sharing in Assam, as per the source.
The first phase of elections on April 19 will see 15 seats go for polls five in Assam, two each in Manipur, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, and one seat each in Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram, and Tripura.