K Filip Sumi
Recently, the Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur (ASTD) voted former member of Dimapur Municipal Council, Lipok Pongen against president of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, S.I. Jamir to contest the February 23 elections, as an “Ao candidate” from 2 Dimapur II A/C. The decision became controversial when Jamir rejected the decision of the Ao Union alleging double standard voting system and questioned its validity. The ASTD reaffirmed its decision to back Lipok but said it did not stop any other Ao candidate from contesting in the same constituency. However, the concern here is not whether the decision of the organisation was valid or not, or even allowing/disallowing someone to contest or not. But it raises the serious general concern about the possibility of dangerously setting the trend of selecting community candidates in the already tribalism-torn Nagaland. The degree of apprehension on this trend being followed rose higher when, after few days of the ASTD decision, it was out in the media that the Kuda Village Council had also decided to support then Naga Council president Savi Liegise from the same constituency where the ASTD had decided to support Lipok Pongen. But some ‘prominent and concerned citizens’ of Kuda village appeared to have done some damage control exercise. They said to have deliberated upon the decision of the Council and affirmed they stood committed to support any candidate who is given the NPF ticket. Around that time, both Savi and Lipok were vying for NPF tickets. And the NPF ticket eventually went to Lipok. Whether the Kuda Village Council and its prominent and concerned citizens would remain firm on their decision to support Savi or NPF candidate respectively is their own call. But again the concern here is the dangerous trend of putting up or nominating community candidates rather than backing efficient candidates. If the rest of the Naga tribes are to follow suit in the form of Kyong community candidate, Sumi community candidate etc, then the existence of political parties in a democracy will stop to hold any meaning. Political parties will have lesser or no say at all and the community leaders will wield supreme powers. All communities will begin to have their own candidates and the election would be fought among communities and not among political parties. Community leaders might begin to officially issue community tickets to fight the elections. Indeed, the decision to back certain candidate on tribal grounds could be seen in itself as a ‘community ticket.’ And since none of the communities would bag majority to form a government there had to be an alliance. What is now known as political party alliance arranged to run a coalition government might then be known as tribal alliance. As it is, even now also there exist several organisations where different tribes have come together under some nomenclatures. Countless possible ramifications can be listed if such trend is to continue with all good sense disappearing. The emergence of good sense will gradually boil down to the individuals of the communities to exercise their wisdom and contribute their part for the larger good of the society in general. Perhaps, this is the only way for the Naga society to retain its closely knitted social fabric.
