Political games in Nagaland

Do candidates of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections have the competence required to transform Nagaland?, The Morung Express asked its readers last week. Reflecting mostly on the present state of affairs, nearly 71% of the respondents answered ‘No,’ while 22% were affirmative and rest (7%) opted ‘Others’ as reason.  

Those answering in affirmative also noted that while many are capable, the system itself will usurp them while in office. Among others, corruption, party politics, regional and tribal dynamics are seen as usual suspects culminating into the vicious cycle of chronic desolation.  

As the hectic preparation for the elections gather steams, such dynamics are overwhelming the call for clean and fair electoral practice in most locations. Outlandish narratives of money and muscle power, both verified and otherwise, are emanating from different corners of the state.  

Years of politics and culture of unaccountability as well as lack of transparency and responsibility has made the politics the most sought after and lucrative game in Nagaland.  

With such ground realities, elections are no longer fight on principle and ideology but other concerns.  

Political fluidity is uninterrupted and the electorates are ‘lost for choices’ having to choose similar faces but fighting on behalf of different parties in most constituencies.  

A singular electoral process is also witnessed in Nagaland. In many villages with more than one contender, a sort of ‘primary election’ is held which basically ‘narrows’ the actual nomination to a ‘consensus’ candidate. Binding regulations and rules are made to support the ‘consensus’ candidates.  

While such practices are prohibited legally and village declaration of a particular candidate has been banned, in practice, informally the binding exist. Election skirmishes witnessed in the recent past can be attributed to challenging of the status quo by other contenders.  

Consequently, democratic traditions such as 'one person one vote’ and personal choice have become the collateral damage in the imploding system.  

While the ‘Clean Election Campaign’ theoretically has touched all corners of Nagaland, practically its proponents are voiceless and powerless to fight the systematic practice, notwithstanding the spurt of ‘Common platforms’ in many areas.  

“If one doesn’t spend money, one cannot win election,” is the common refrain but an acute blame game is doing round at the same time – the voters blaming the candidates, the latter blaming the former.   In such a scenario, the party candidates' appeals to the voters are either in the form of emotion or materialistic logics rather than any concrete policy or vision statement.  

Most of the political parties have released their manifestos in the run-up to the elections promising ‘moons’ if elected to power. How far can these promises be materialised is for the time to show.  

In an open interaction last week with some major political parties contesting the election, the representatives were seen shuffling through their manifestos in a feeble attempt to answer specific question promised therein.  

Despite the tough battle between the parties, their election manifestos had something in common, 'the desire for change'. It is, however, in the end easy to believe the fact that not all vows in the election manifestos make it to the execution peak.