Ahrü Chongyie
Since the inception of the state, Nagaland has seen 11 different people occupying the chair of the chief minister, and the way things are going, it seems the ENPO region, which is represented by 20 legislatures- a significant number for Nagaland politics is going to continuously suffer as not only the region has been tremendously ignored when it comes to development throughout the last 58 years, Nagaland is yet to see someone from the region occupying the post of the chief minister-a moment the people of the region are pinning their hope on to come out of the shackles of ignorance and stand at par with the other parts of the state.
From statehood till now, it is mostly Tenyimia people who have dominated the top post in the state held by seven different people and incumbent CM Neiphiu Rio is holding the chair for the fourth term.
Seven out of 11 from Tenyimia which has 15 legislatures, and no Chief Minister yet from ENPO which has 20 legislatures?
Even the CNTC, which is represented by 25 legislatures, presently has had only four people occupying the chair of the chief minister, which also includes Nagaland's first Chief Minister P Shilu Ao who was selected during the interim government and KL Chishi who occupied the office for only a short duration.
It is high time that a leader from the ENPO is given opportunity to serve as the CM of Nagaland for a change unless someone wants the region to remain stuck in time for another 50 years. It is no longer a want for the ENPO region but a need after decades of mistreatment which has put the region in the backseat and their voices have been disregarded throughout.
If Nagaland needs to change and development should reach every corner of the state, the post of the CM should not remain confined to a few. The office of the CM needs to be liberated given the situation that the ENPO region is poorly developed and has three young districts which need special attention at this nascent stage. Seeing the ratio of distribution, one can see that leadership confined to a particular group of people might be productive for a stretch of land, but hugely counterproductive for the ENPO especially.
A good leader from the eastern part of Nagaland should be given a chance to serve as CM so as to bring the region at par with the rest of the state. This will be detrimental to the all-round development of the state and democracy would make more sense.
This Article is not intended to incite tribal coercion, in fact it is a need of an hour to examine the reality about how Nagaland Political scenario has been govern by few people for the past 58 years.
KUKNALIM
