Nagaland Opts for Peace and Prosperity
Elections 2009
Nagaland Opts for Peace and Prosperity
An estimated 90.21% out of 13,17,729 voters (total population 19,88,636) recently exercised their franchise at 1790 polling stations across Nagaland including those in inaccessible villages in districts of Mon and Tuensang bordering Myanmar and infested by different underground factions to elect the lone representative to Lok Sabha as well as four Assembly constituencies in an exercise that remained largely peaceful. The highest polling percentage was reported from Kiphire with 97.49% followed closely by Mon at 93.56% and third Pughoboto at 93.66%. Other districts like Dimapur registered 83.47% voter turn out, Peren 91.60%, Kohima 79.30%, Phek 94.12%, Mokokchung 86.26%, Zunheboto 93.58%, Longleng 96.49%, Wokha 79.76% and Tuensang 96%. The Assembly segment poll percentage stands at 83.42% for 41 Tizit (final), 83.35% for 54 Tuensang Sadar II, 82.88% for Dimapur III and 91.40% for 17th Chizami. Reportedly, the overall polling in the state was peaceful with no major incident, mob violence or clashes. Polling Stations not connected by road stood at 56, mostly in Peren, Phek, Wokha, Longleng, Kiphire and Tuensang. It was a bipolar election. The Congress and Naga People’s Front (NPF) supported by BJP were the two main rival parties though an invisible Trinamool Congress (TC) had also fielded its candidate. The votes will be counted on May 16th.
Three candidates in the fray for the Lok Sabha seat, which included CM Chang, a retired state Government Officer (NPF), K. Asungba Sangtam, former MP Lok Sabha (Congress) and Dr. Rilangthung Odyuo (Trinamool). Of the three candidates, CM Chang (NPF) contested the Lok Sabha Polls for the first time and is backed by the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) which is at the helm of power in the state. CM Chang unsuccessfully contested on NPF tickets from Noksen in 2004 and 2008. K. Asungba Sangtam (Congress) is in the fray for the forth-consecutive term for the Lok Sabha Polls. He fought through Congress tickets in 1998, 1999 and 2004. This time too, he is contesting on a Congress ticket. Asungba won the seat in 1998 and 1999 and became MP (Lok Sabha) (1998-1999 and 1999-2004) from Nagaland. Dr. Rilanthung Odyuo also contested the 2004 Lok Sabha election as an independent but lost.
The Naga public dreams of living in peace and prosperity. They wish to revive their age - old ethos which are disappearing fast. |
The most debated 16 page booklet - Bedrock of Naga Society authored by Shri S.C. Jamir and published in 2000 by AICC (Nagaland) still haunts the minds of politicians. They alleged that Bedrock of Naga Society by Shri Jamir had put Naga secessionist movement in reverse gear. During the heat of the elections, NPF claimed to work for reconciliation between different militant factions and bring permanent peace and prosperity in Nagaland. Politicians seated high in the hierarchy including Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that in the changed international and national scenario, various countries were talking of interdependence and economic sovereignty instead of political sovereignty. The Baptist Church had engulfed Naga society with almost 90 percent Christian population. They have been successfully, as alleged, influencing all the earlier Assembly and Parliamentary elections in favour of those who had support for the secessionist movement. This time also, the Church leaders tried their level best to influence the election, but their grip appeared to be fast declining.
Today, over 40,000 Nagas have been reportedly killed and the killing spree still continues The common Naga people have become fed up with the hypocrisy and militant organisations. They are also fed up of corrupt politicians and Church leaders. The Naga public dreams of living in peace and prosperity. They wish to revive their age-old ethos which are disappearing fast. The 90.21% voter turn out and incident free polling are reflections of the Naga people’s dream to live in peace and prosperity in the emerging super power - India. This is also a clear-cut denial of the secessionist demand of underground organisations.
