POLITICS
OPINION | Modi’s belated visit to Manipur gave hope. It now needs to be followed by action
The visit of the PM did generate a glimmer of hope among many in the state. It must be seen as a beginning of efforts by the Centre to take the violence-hit state towards normalcy. This opportunity must not be wasted
POLITICS
Imagined fears in Tripura over demographic change and illegal immigration
Within the state’s BJP-led coalition there are differences on the cut-off dates that should be used if the Election Commission conducts a special intensive review, a demand of TIPRA Mohta which is a constituent of the coalition that represents tribal interests. Census data shows that demographic anxieties are overblown and their projection may have a lot to do with forthcoming local body polls
POLITICS
Assam, please don’t go the Manipur way
The state government’s decision to issue arms license under a special scheme to indigenous people in some districts bordering Bangladesh is a bad idea. If the Sarma government feels some groups are under threat, it’s the duty of the State to protect them. In a tense atmosphere, marked by distrust between communities, putting weapons in the hands of a small number of people can trigger adverse consequences for Assam’s social fabric
INDIA
Manipur’s fractured society leaves the government in a fix
President’s Rule in the state led to a crackdown against insurgents, a positive development. However, neither has it bridged the ethnic gap in a meaningful way nor has it endeared itself to people in Imphal Valley. It leaves the central government with a conundrum that doesn’t have an answer in sight
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Mizoram Election Results 2023: ZPM scripts history as a big vote for change sinks MNF
Mizoram Election Results 2023: In a stunning success reminiscent of the Aam Aadmi Party, the Zoram Peoples Movement, which was not even recognised when it fought the 2018 elections, has routed Mizoram’s traditional parties – MNF and Congress. MNF’s bet on Mizo nationalism failed and it was laid low by poor developmental outcomes and ZPM’s promise of change and good governance
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Mizoram Elections 2023: Desperate Congress attempts to paint MNF and ZPM as B-teams of BJP could backfire
Mizoram Elections 2023: Congress appears to have decided that the anti-BJP plank is the only one it can convincingly occupy in Mizoram. But the problem with this line of attack is that BJP isn’t politically a factor in the state and it doesn’t tap into anti-incumbency against the MNF government
ASSEMBLY-ELECTIONS
Mizoram: A two-pronged fight between MNF and ZPM with Congress, BJP as third and fourth players
Facing a challenge from the opposition ZPM on account of its presence in the BJP-led NDA, the MNF has ramped up its Mizo nationalism rhetoric. The ZPM is strong in urban areas but has a lot of ground to cover in rural parts
POLITICS
MNF’s blow-hot, blow-cold approach to NDA over Manipur faces Mizoram poll test
Despite the difficulties facing their Kuki kinsfolk in Manipur, the MNF which rules Mizoram hasn't pulled out of NDA. MNF is projecting itself as taking a tough line against the Centre and as the protector of Mizo interests to voters of the state, but is also wary of losing BJP support
POLITICS
Sending proponent of North Bengal statehood to Rajya Sabha kicks off BJP’s 2024 defence of strongholds
Ananta Maharaj, a leader of the Rajbanshi community from Cooch Behar, could prove instrumental in defending the seven Lok Sabha seats from the North Bengal region that the saffron party won in 2019. But if he and other leaders sharpen their statehood demand, it could prove to be a double-edged sword
POLITICS
Manipur violence is a blow to BJP’s hopes in poll-bound Mizoram
The Kukis of violence-hit Manipur share an ethnic bond with the Mizos and this has put the BJP Mizoram unit on a weak wicket. BJP’s plans of wooing ethnic minorities isn’t making headway. But if the elections throw up a hung assembly, and BJP has a respectable seat count, it could still play kingmaker
BUSINESS
Manipur: BJP’s balancing act between CM Biren Singh and dissidents, tribal sentiments and rule of law, gets tougher
After winning Manipur with party-hoppers, BJP has struggled to keep dissidence under control. Biren Singh, meanwhile, is firefighting on another front too: Ethnic tensions continue to impose a huge governance burden, the latest manifestation being the anti-govt violence in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district
BUSINESS
The New National Party Pecking Order: How CPI, India’s main opposition between 1947-64, fell out and newbie AAP entered
From welfare delivery to religiosity and personality projection, AAP quickly cottoned on to some elements that excite Indian voters while the century-old-CPI stuck to dogmas on state control and class identities and made political blunders like the 1964 split and the support to Emergency
POLITICS
Tripura Election Results 2023: Decline in support but Narendra Modi card rescues BJP
The BJP managed to cross the halfway mark despite the huge wave for TIPRA Motha in the tribal areas and the CPM-Congress alliance. But it will worry about the reduced voteshare compared to 2018 and 2019
POLITICS
Why the Northeast exit polls are giving BJP and its allies the upper hand
Exit polls can go wrong but there were a number of factors working in BJP’s favour even before campaigning began. Apart from the Modi factor and local alliances, BJP has strengthened its organisation in all three states and now have some credible local leaders to showcase
POLITICS
Mamata Banerjee to contest from Nandigram: Masterstroke or political desperation?
The message from Banerjee is clear: She is in no mood to cede an inch of West Bengal to the BJP, and that’s the reason why she picked Nandigram — a symbolic seat representing her rise to power
