A day after seven Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators in Nagaland joined the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar admitted that the MLAs were unhappy over the lack of progress in their constituencies and had approached him earlier to express their frustrations.
“These MLAs had met me two months ago expressing concern that development work in their areas was not moving forward. There was growing unease among them, which is true. They were feeling helpless and discontented,” Ajit Pawar was quoted as saying by NE News on Sunday.
The defection of the seven MLAs—Namri Nchang (Tening), Picto Shohe (Atoizu), Y Mhonbemo Humtsoe (Wokha Town), Y Mankhao Konyak (Mon Town), A Pongshi Phom (Longleng), P Longon (Noklak), and S Toiho Yeptho (Suruhoto)—has significantly strengthened the NDPP’s numbers in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, increasing the party’s tally from 25 to 32. The move also further consolidates the NDPP-BJP alliance, which already enjoys a majority.
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However, the developments have sparked tensions within the broader National Democratic Alliance (NDA) framework. According to India TV, the NCP’s Ajit Pawar faction has accused the NDPP of “poaching” its legislators in violation of alliance ethics. A delegation of NCP leaders aligned with Ajit Pawar is reportedly en route to Kohima to assess the situation and submit a report to the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.
The NCP had emerged as the third-largest party in the 2023 Nagaland Assembly elections, behind the NDPP and its ally, the BJP, which holds 12 seats. But following the vertical split in the NCP last July, the seven Nagaland MLAs chose to align themselves with the Ajit Pawar faction, distancing from party founder Sharad Pawar.
With the defection now official, the composition of the Nagaland Assembly stands as follows:
NDPP: 32; BJP: 12; NPP: 5; LJP (Ram Vilas): 2; NPF: 2; RPI (Athawale): 2; JD(U): 1; and Independents: 4.
The NCP delegation is expected to meet its state unit in Nagaland and determine whether the defections were driven purely by constituency concerns—or by a more strategic effort by the NDPP to weaken smaller alliance partners.
The issue is likely to surface at the upcoming NDA meeting, with Ajit Pawar expected to raise concerns over what his party views as a breach of coalition trust.