Why The identity Row Is Unlikely To Die Down In Sikkim

Although the apex court amended its observations, the issue of Sikkimese Nepali identity is unlikely to die down.

Source : Twitter

This week, the Supreme Court removed the observations in its judgment that had mentioned Sikkimese Nepalis as “people of foreign origin”. The observation had resulted in protests and bandhs across the state and review petitions were filed seeking for modifications by the Centre, the state of Sikkim and other parties.

Although the apex court amended its observations, the issue of Sikkimese Nepali identity is unlikely to die down. The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, which got a short-time relief due to the modification done by the Supreme Court, has a tough road ahead with the Opposition criticising it for its failure to take up the issue. Even Health Minister MK Sharma resigned by alleging that his own party government led by Chief Minister PS Golay did not take the sentiments of Sikkimese Nepalis seriously.

The assembly elections in this northeastern state are likely to be held next year along with the Lok Sabha polls. The main Opposition Sikkim Democratic Front, which currently is left with only one MLA, its founder and former state chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, sees a chance to revive itself with the help of this issue. During the last assembly elections, SDF narrowly lost to SKM, which won 17 seats while the former got 15. Two MLAs of SDF had won from two seats and so they had to vacate one seat each, reducing the SDF’s tally to 13. Later, 10 of its MLAs joined the BJP, while two joined the SKM.

This week, the BJP appointed DR Thapa, who joined the party from SDF in 2019, as its new president of the state unit. Thapa was quite vocal against the observations of the court and even took members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which was at the forefront of organising protests against the “foreigner” tag given to Sikkimese Nepalis, to Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue. The Centre, knowing the sentiments of the state, was quick to file a review petition in the apex court. The BJP has been trying to get a foothold in this state. It is likely that the party is going to highlight the Centre’s timely intervention to score political points, and the nomination of Thapa to the president post also indicates that.

Is BJP Eyeing Chief Minister Post In Nagaland?

The BJP is contesting the Nagaland elections on 20 seats as a junior partner to Chief Minister Neiphio Rio’s National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which is contesting 40 seats. However, not everything seems to be right between the two allies.

Chirag Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting on 19 seats but the party officially announced that it is not going to fight on seats where the BJP is contesting. It has given tickets to five NDPP MLAs, who were denied candidacy by the ruling party. Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress Party is also in the fray, contesting on 12 seats. It has given tickets to seen sitting MLAs, who were denied tickets by the NDPP.

The NDPP seems to be unhappy with the BJP as the former believes that LJP(RV) and NCP are acting as proxies of the latter. Although the NCP state leadership has said that it is open to a post-poll alliance minus the BJP, the defection of NCP MLAs, if elected, to the BJP can’t be ruled out. Being the party in power at the Centre is an advantage for the saffron party. On the other hand, LJP(RV) has openly declared its tilt towards the BJP. It is to be mentioned that Chirag Paswan’s LJP had done something similar in the Bihar elections in 2020 by putting up candidates against only Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United). This led to a reduction of JD(U)’s tally, adding bitterness to its relation with the BJP. Last year, JD(U) severed its ties with the saffron party.

According to a report in the Nagaland Post, North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) chairman and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma flew to Dimapur this week to have a closed-door meeting with Rio, along with BJP representatives, including Deputy CM Y Patton and state party president Temjen Imna Along, to iron out the differences with the NDPP.

Meanwhile, the Nagaland People’s Front has declared that it is open to a post-poll alliance. Importantly, NPF is a junior partner in the BJP-led government in Manipur, where five of its MLAs out of six had later joined the BJP. The NDPP is worried that if it fails to win a majority and the BJP wins most of the seats it is contesting, it may take help from NPF, LJP(RV), NCP and JD(U) to form its own government.

Tripura BJP Banking On Modi Card To Return To Power

This week, the party saw many central leaders like Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath, and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma campaigning across Tripura. Apart from them, state leaders like CM Manik Saha, party state president Rajiv Bhattacharjee, former CM Biplab deb, Deputy CM Jishnu Debbarma and central minister Pratima Bhowmik are also campaigning for the party candidates. 

The speeches of the saffron leaders are mostly focusing on the Narendra Modi-led BJP government’s welfare schemes like Awas Yojana, Krishi Samman Nidhi Yojna, Ayushman Bharat, accessibility of drinking water and free supply of grains. The saffron party’s slogan focusses on “double engine”, referring to the same party ruling the Centre and the state. Clearly, this is an indication from the ruling BJP that it is facing anti-incumbency, though the anger seems to be relatively less against new CM Manik Saha. Modi will hit the poll campaign in the state on Saturday and Monday. The BJP is expecting that Modi’s speeches will turn the momentum towards it. The BJP is contesting on 55 seats while its ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura is contesting on 5.

The author is a political commentator.

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