Does political ideology and party principles matter to our politicians? Not in any way. In fact there are very few politicians—a Dr Shurhozelie of the regional party NPF or Dr SC Jamir, a staunch Congressman—who are wedded to the high ideals of their political beliefs and ideology. Both Shurhozelie and Jamir are therefore fine examples of leaders who are wedded to the ideas and principles of the political party they belong. Contrast this with a majority of the other politicians we find in Nagaland. Many of them change their party at the drop of a hat. For that matter in Nagaland we are so used to our leaders and their supporters jumping from one party to the next in no time. In the run up to the February 23, 2013 elections we are already witnessing the kind of activities such as joining or changing political parties. This time also many prominent candidates have joined new parties after being denied tickets from their erstwhile party. Be prepared to see more of such drama during the post-poll scenario especially if no political party or formation gets a working majority. Former NPF leader and another staunch regionalist, Thenucho Tunyi, recently commented and rightly so that what Nagas need today are “leaders who refuse to be swayed by political waves”. Thenucho who recently resigned from the NFP citing disappointment with the present style and functioning of the party has called for “political leaders who are committed to serving the people and who are powered and driven by ideologies and principles which best safeguard and promote the identity and aspiration of our people”.
Given what is happening in our politics, where power alone is the only lure, this is indeed a tall order for many of our politicians to follow. One fine example that can be used to drive home this point is the manner in which, after the NPF returned to power for the second term, several Congress MLAs resigned their seats and re-contested on the NPF ticket. And it was not just your lone MLA or leader but the entire rank and file of supporters also change party overnight and become either Congress or NPF depending on where chances of tasting power lies. And so even the Naga public ought to be blamed for this sin of omission and commission whereby you vote for the same person twice—for instance, one when he contests on a Congress ticket and another when he returns to contest in an NPF ticket or vice versa. Recently we have had the case where two Independent MLAs giving support to the NPF government (one a Minister and the other a Parliamentary Secretary) resigned in order to apply for NPF tickets. As the script goes, both joined the NPF in a hurry but were denied the party ticket so in a hurry joined the Congress to be given the party ticket for the ensuing elections. The point is that politics in Nagaland is not about ideology or principles but only about opportunism and power. Not only our politicians but we the people are also complicit in this. In the clamor for power, we have become divorced from our political ideology and human morals.
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