Over the past year, which witnessed polls in Nagaland and Mizoram, regional parties ZPM and NDPP emerged victorious, further consolidating their dominance in northeast politics. Looking ahead to 2024, two more northeastern states, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, are gearing up for elections. Currently, the BJP holds a strong position in Arunachal, but its prospects in Sikkim appear bleak.Among the eight states, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim have seen regional parties rise to prominence. Regional parties like the National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland, and Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) in Sikkim, though allied with the BJP-led NDA, have strong bases in their respective states. ZPM, led by Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma, too chose not to align with the NDA or Opposition's INDIA bloc, offering only issue-based support to national parties.The November 7 Mizoram Assembly polls presented a political challenge for the anti-Congress Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA), as the BJP and NEDA ally Mizo National Front (MNF) contested fiercely. ZPM, established in 2019, secured a significant victory, toppling the MNF government with 27 seats out of 40. Mizoram, historically governed by Congress or MNF, witnessed a shift, marking the first time three women candidates were elected simultaneously to the 40-member Assembly. Tensions between the BJP and MNF escalated over issues like the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and ethnic violence in Manipur. As 2023 reflected the evolving dynamics of regional parties, only time will tell what changes we will see in the political landscape of the northeast with the upcoming legislative assembly polls in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in 2024.Follow ABP Live for more news, updates, analyses, and explainers on various topics concerning the northeast of India, and a very happy New Year on behalf of the entire team of NEWay.