Janata Dal (United) Nagaland state unit said it was willing to have its lone MLA in the current 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, play the role of opposition provided the JD(U)high command issued such a directive.
JD(U) has one MLA, Jwenga Seb, representing 12 Tseminyu assembly constituency. Currently all parties are part of the oppositionless government led by NDPP-BJP.
This was stated by JD(U) state unit president, NSN Lotha, to Nagaland Post Friday. “We are fully prepared to align with whatever decision the higher authorities make,” he said.
Lotha said the state unit will rake up issues of local concerns with JD(U)national leaders. In this regard, he said party officials, in consultation with its MLA, Jwenga Seb, will go to Delhi and meet with national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh).
He said the state unit will take a decision after the central leaders provide necessary directive with regard to support to the oppositionless government.
Asked if the state unit will take up a role as opposition if asked to do so by the central leaders, Lotha said the state unit will adhere to any such directives of the high command.
Lotha also expressed confidence that party legislator Jwenga Seb, whom he described as “a man of principle”, will endorse the party’s guidelines and be in a position to align his decision with the official stand of the party.
On the dissolution of the JD(U) state unit by party high command after the state unit extended support the Rio-led NDPP and BJP alliance, Lotha said that the move was motivated by local concerns. He admitted that the state unit did not inform higher authorities about its decision to support the NDPP-BJP alliance.
Lotha admitted that the party high command was deeply displeased with state unit’s decision as the JD(U) was opposed to the BJP.
“Our higher authorities could not come to terms with the development in the state, where JDU was backing a government with BJP as a constituent,” he stated. Lotha however said the state unit’s decision to be part of the opposition-less government was based on the resolution of all 59 MLAs who resolved to back the opposition-less government, setting aside their individual backgrounds, local affiliations, and political disparities, in pursuit of expediting a resolution to the Naga political issue. In this regard, he said the state unit felt that if it distanced itself from the situation, Nagas might misconstrue their intentions.
Regardless of their national party affiliation, he said the state unit members were first and foremost Nagas and citizens of Nagaland. Therefore, he said that going against the unanimous wishes of the people was something they could not do.
Hence, he stated that the state unit decided to submit the letter of support without consulting the higher authorities. Lotha was however ambiguous in reiterating that however, he still fully endorsed the action against the state unit taken by the higher authorities.
Asked whether the state JD(U) has taken a stand on the opposition bloc INDIA at the national with JDU as an important partner, he said that any decision by the parties involved in the INDIA bloc within the state would be regarded as a collective decision as a part of the alliance.
Lotha also disclosed that the INDIA bloc in state was actively considering holding meetings in the near future.
While recognising Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state unit as prominent members of the INDIA bloc in the state, Lotha said that any decision taken would be a unanimous one within the bloc partners in the state.
On whether JD(U) was planning to field a candidate in the Lok Sabha election 2024, he stated that the party would be prepared to nominate a suitable candidate if circumstances warranted.
He said in the event Congress sets up its candidate , the JD(U) will provide them with the opportunity.
Sharing his views on the opposition-less government in the state, Lotha said that the state has not witnessed any significant progress thus far and expressed hope that the government would begin to take action on the promises outlined in their manifestos. “All promises and manifestoes from different political parties constituting the opposition-less government should be prioritized and addressed,” he stated.
Lotha expressed the view that an all-party meeting should be convened to establish a common minimum programme and taken into considerations crucial elements from manifestos of various parties.
He also expressed concern that ministers and MLAs in Nagaland were given more importance in governance than the party manifestos.
He maintained that it was a significant factor hindering Nagaland’s progress. Post-elections, Lotha said that parties, their workers and their manifestos tend to become puppets to the legislators.
He said that until Nagaland adopted a system where the party exerts greater influence over legislators, issues with sluggish progress, corruption, and unfulfilled promises would persist. “We must reach a ground where the party controls the legislatures,” he stated.