• X Chopika Sumi

On March 2, 2024, when Dr Chumben Murry was announced as PDA consensus candidate to fight the General Election to the 18th Lok Sabha on ruling NDPP Ticket, the ruling alliance with all 60 MLA’s had even predicated an outcome with a considerable winning margin. The question on everyone’s lips was, will the Congress set up a candidate, and if so, who will be the bakra (sacrificial goat)?

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee after suffering two humiliating assembly election defeats was in the process of rebuilding the organization under the new PCC President Shri S Supongmeren Jamir. With a focus on 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, a Study Group for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections headed by Capt GK Zhimomi, Vice President NPCC and 5 other members was constituted in July 2023. Accordingly, the Study Group after intense research and brainstorming sessions presented 8 Point Report to the PCC President which was accepted in total by the PCC Executive Committee.

The NPCC quietly proceeded with the task of rebuilding and strengthening the organization as new members enrolled for membership and old members returning to the fold with the change in leadership.

The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ led by Shri Rahul Gandhi which passed through Nagaland from January 15-18, 2024, was the first real challenge for the state Congress leaders. The NPCC BJNY Committee headed by Capt GK Zhimomi as Convenor rose to the occasion and despite many challenging factors, the Yatra in Nagaland was a great success with people thronging out in large numbers to welcome Shri Rahul Gandhi all along the route. NPCC was specially commended by Shri Rahul Gandhi and other AICC leaders for hosting an incident free and successful Yatra. Moving on to Lok Sabha Election preparation, the Pradesh Election Committee of NPCC in Feb 2024 made a suitable recommendation of names to AICC Screening Committee for selection of INC candidate. However, it was learnt that Shri Rahul Gandhi had already directed to the AICC officials that Shri S Supongmeren Jamir as PCC President has been identified as INC candidate during the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ and that all Congress leaders should rally behind his candidature and ensure his victory.

On March 8, 2024, the Central Election Committee of AICC announced the selection of Shri S Supongmeren Jamir as INC candidate, thus setting in motion, the best laid plans of NPCC with Shri Khriedi Theunuo, Working President NPCC and Capt GK Zhimomi, Vice President as Chairman and Co-Chairman of Election Campaign Committee taking charge.

The ECI on 16th March 2024 announced the poll dates for election to 18th Lok Sabha with Nagaland being put in the first phase where polling was scheduled on April 19, 2024. Due to freezing of AICC Accounts, the NPCC like any other state unit dependent on AICC was starved of funds and election campaign committee had a harrowing time to kick off the campaign. A day before the Ticket Distribution Program on 26th March 2024, a half day of fasting & prayer was observed by all NPCC office-bearers at Congress Bhavan Kohima and with full faith of divine intervention set out on its task to reach out to different sections of leaders and people from all walks of life.

The Congress campaign officially kicked off on April 1, 2024, and for the next 17 days went on a blistering pace across the length and breadth of the state excluding ENPO areas. The culmination of successful campaign was evident in the Public Meeting held at Dimapur on 16th April 2024 where a mammoth crowd gathered to hear the Congress leaders speak on issues confronting the state and the nation.

The entire Congress campaign narrative was kept simple from the very beginning; attack BJP’s communal politics of polarization and NDPP for being its alliance partner. On the other hand, the overconfident PDA parties took the campaign as walk in the park with their leaders only taunting state Congress leaders and the non-existent organization in many parts of the state. However, the silent majority of the public had other ideas, contrary to what PDA leaders thought.

Polling day on 19th April saw a moderate turnout of voters but to the astonishment of all, many voters openly declared that they had voted for Congress candidate.In many polling stations where polling agents of Congress were missing, the public took it upon themselves to act as polling agents by preventing bogus voters from casting proxy votes. With the kind of feedback from across the state, the Election Campaign Committee had made an assessment that INC candidate will win by a margin ranging from 5000 to 10, 000 votes and firmly stood by it, even risking their political credibility.

The Result day on June 4, 2024, will forever be marked as a historic day in the electoral politics of Nagaland. Against the might of the ruling govt with 60 MLA’s together, a huge electoral upset was caused when the people of Nagaland chose to teach a lesson to the arrogant and overconfident opposition-less govt. From the very start of counting, INC Candidate Shri S Supongmeren Jamir jumped into the lead and maintained throughout the day. By late afternoon when final counting figures were announced, INC candidate won with a comfortable margin of 50,984 votes. Befittingly, the NPCC declared the victory of Congress candidate as victory for the people of Nagaland. Tears of joy were visible on the face of every Congress leader and worker present at Congress Bhavan that day as Victory had eluded the Party for over two decades. With this victory, the Congress achieved the impossible with the blessings of the people who for once decided to rise above their narrow electoral politics and send a message to the nation that Nagaland rejects the politics of hate and bigotry and was willing to offer Congress a lifeline if it never wavers from its inclusive idea of India where Unity in Diversity will be celebrated and not frowned upon.

The author is the President, NSUI Nagaland