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Election in the northeastern states

Bratatee Barman

Nagaland is going on polls on March 5 with 218 candidates eyeing for 60 assembly seats. Meghalaya too is all set for the polls on March 3 when 331 contestants will be contesting elections from 60 constituencies. Tripura went on polls on the 23rd February with a voter turn out of 80 per cent amidst high security. Security has been a major issue in these three insurgency torn states. Election Commission has taken special care in arranging for adequate security measures in these states.

In Tripura 218 companies of paramilitary forces were stationed just before the polls. In Meghalaya Election Commission has identified 637 out of 1599 as hyper sensitive polling stations. Except for Meghalaya and Sikkim rest of the states in Northeast are under Armed Forces Special Power Act. The government is making sure that the voting is not hindered by any insurgency related incidents. Several small factions have taken to arms in this region either against the government or as counter groups to already existing anti-government militant groups, for eg, the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist group was formed by the Punjabi youth living in Meghalaya, to counter the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU). The state has been on a security alert since last December following a bomb threat from this group. And in Nagaland although, NSCN (IM) is at talks with the Central government, the authorities are nervous about an outbreak of violence on the March 5 when the state will go on polls at 1780 polling stations.

The citizens in these states are suffering the ills of insurgency on the one hand, and on the other hand are also dealing with the strict army control over their lives on a daily basis. The assertion of ethnic identity is yet another face of the problems in the states here. The Centre has been pumping in money for development, through the newly set up department of Development of Northeastern Region, in order to solve the problems in the region; the benefits however have not trickled down to the masses because of high level of corruption. The region is lagging behind the rest of the country, in terms of road, transport, telephone connectivity and power supply.

It will be the onus of the political leaders to bring in stability to this region. While the Congress is aggressively campaigning for corruption free administration in Meghalaya, they however have not talked about an agenda to bring in stability to the state. In Nagaland, Riu led Nagaland People’s Party too have not addressed the issue of establishing stability and peace but has been busy accusing its opposition Congress party, for trying to disrupt election in the state. We can not however hope that this year’s elections will bring instant peace and stability to the area. The local leaders will who form governments must play an active role in bringing the insurgent groups to talks through negotiation. Dialogue with the civil bodies too will aid the governments in formulating policy unique to the needs of the people in these states of Northeast India .