‘Consensus Solution’

Choosing the Next Chief Minister

The race for the next Chief Minister (CM) of Nagaland is on with rivalry between two camps of the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF). This has put in jeopardy, the unity of the party and survival of the government. Strangely, this entire commotion is taking place even though there is still no certainty that Neiphiu Rio will indeed quit as CM. Yes there appears to be a good possibility of the BJP led NDA front under Prime Minister Narendra Modi forming the next government at the Centre with Rio joining the Modi Ministry. But then this is also not a certainty. What if things don’t turn out in favour of Rio’s calculation? If so we may not need a replacement for the CM’s chair after all. Nevertheless, let us look at the probability of choosing the next CM.     

Ever since Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio made his intention clear, to contesting the 2014 Lok Sabha election for the lone seat representing Nagaland, everybody knew the risk involved, of rift that will emerge, especially for the ruling NPF and the government it was running for the last more than ten years under Rio’s leadership. Whatever may have been the failures and criticisms of Rio’s decade long tenure as CM, the one positive feature of his reign was the political stability that he provided both as the head of the government and his undisputed leadership within the NPF (along with party President Dr Shurhozelie).

Now with signs of a power struggle within the NPF government, with claimants eyeing the seat of the Chief Minister as Rio prepares to move to Delhi, the long spell of stability provided by the Rio led government is facing a churning of sorts. And unless better sense prevails within the NPF leadership and its legislators to resolve the present crisis, the argument of the Opposition Congress, that Rio’s decision to leave the affairs of the State will lead to the collapse of the NPF led government, this may well come true. What the Congress could not do electorally i.e. to defeat the NPF in the last three elections, the latter is in danger of defeating itself as the power vacuum that would be created by Rio’s departure has already encouraged camps and factions, especially within the government.

Looking at it dispassionately from an outsider’s perspective, perhaps the NPF, especially its party President and the Chief Minister could have handled the issue better. Both should have taken the matter into their own hands and personally supervised for a smooth transition of power. As per what has appeared in the media in the last few months, it seems to be that the CM had earlier told leaders from Eastern Nagaland to find someone from within their ranks to replace him. There was no denial both by the party and the CM to this reported remark. In response it was again reported several times that the senior most Minister from Eastern Nagaland, Noke Konyak had ruled himself out of the race due to health reasons. It was sometime at this stage that atleast three senior Ministers in the present government reportedly started to solicit support for themselves in a bid to succeed Rio. Later on, the race was prominently highlighted in the media between Home Minister Kaito and Planning Minister TR Zeliang, the former finally withdrawing. Again as per media reports, it was at this later stage that Noke Konyak staked his claim to shoulder the responsibility of leading the State, saying that he was ready if the party asked him to do.

And so you see, for too long the question of finding the next CM was left ‘open’ and perhaps inadvertently projected as a contest to be won as opposed to finding a consensus and therefore the claimants and the current divisions from within. Knowing that any change of guard at the top could lead to quarrels and disunity in its ranks, the top leadership in the NPF and the CM should have stepped in much earlier to control the situation. Though a little late, the CM has appealed to all sections of the party and the honourable elected members “to come together and find a consensus solution that will pave the way for a smooth transition of power whenever the need arises”.

If needed some kind of a power arrangement may also have to be worked out, such as appointing the CM on rotation basis or assigning the all important Finance portfolio to one of the claimants. Rio is right when he makes the point that a ‘consensus solution’ is the only way forward to “ensure stability of the government, unity of the party and implementation of effective governance”. Mutual respect and understanding is required to ensure not just a smooth transition for the present but more importantly for the future—to restore trust, build collaboration and sustain a healthy environment to govern and work together as a team under whoever becomes Chief Minister in place of Rio.