“Politics failed me” | Nirendra Dev
Imkong L Imchen, Former Nagaland Minister and Member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly expired on Nov 11, 2025.
He was with the Congress, NPF and lastly with the BJP.
I had quite a lively interaction with him over phone and then Whasapp chat for a long on Nov 4th.
As the headline of the piece (published in ‘Mokokchung Times’ shows … he had said: “Truth Never SurrendersAMP”.
At least he was the last man to ‘give up’ or surrender.
We spoke at length on Naga politics…. he went on and on…. as usual provided he had the mood to talk.
Otherwise — he had the reputation of being rude — “No…”, “Not now”, “What Interview”, “Ki hobo (what’s the end purpose)”….
Finally — when I could sense that he had spoken out on a few “sensitive” issues; I asked him — if I could quote him. He paused for a while and then said —
“I am angry … with all happening around us. It’s not your fault. Tumi ki koribo (what can you do as well). Go ahead with the interview. Try sending it to ‘Mokokchung Times’.”
Let me focus here on his persona and most of what we used to talk informally on the contemporary setting in India, India-China relations and north east India.
For sometime — last two months — he has been traveling in and out of Nagaland and Delhi and also some parts of rural Nagaland. He was quite casual about health – I knew that from before.
We also spoke at length on the state of journalism. But heart-in-heart he was a well wisher and he believed a forthright media could make a lot of difference.
Once he said — “I am one hundred per cent politician. Our Shri SC Jamir is. He is a role model for us…. But I tell you; Politics has failed me …but Journalism should not fail you. Work hard”.
This truly reflected the sincerity of purpose in what he said.
On media power he used to say: — “Independence means you can say what you want to, you can report what you want to…. But you people are not doing anything.”
“In Nagaland and in the rest of India; media has been commercialised. You can blame the owners… I will blame journalists only. Owners are businessmen and sometimes even politicians. But you all became journalists, I believe you wanted to be …. Did you join journalism as a job”.
However, he knew the challenges around media. He was particularly sad when Dimapur-based ‘Nagaland Page’ was closed.
Ran by Monalisa Changkija; the tabloid-sized daily was shut down in January this year largely due to commercial reasons.
“Tomar Editor hi mota thakise ….. (Your editor Ms Monalisa was the only man around) — he had said earlier this year applauding Madam Changkija.)
On Nov 4th … I had asked him (as you can find details in the interviewAMP)
“Many years back, people said Imchen is the only young man who knows when to get angry”.
He responded with a mild laughter and said – “I can laugh more when I am angry…. So be careful”.
On the Naga peace parleys — nevertheless – he definitely shared his agony.
“… how long are Nagas prepared to talk about Naga sovereignty? For how many centuries? But we also have to answer – how will 28 or 280 factions of Naga ‘national workers’ extort us?
My point is simple and slow ….. Please don’t think that you are the only people who can arbitrate or navigate Naga politics.”
I grilled him in my own style…
“Okay; you are not at all angry?”
Late Imkong Imchen: (Mildly laughed again) and said — “See, to me there are other people also who understand Naga society and its dynamics, and they do so more in detail and in rationality – maybe far above some people. But they are keeping silent only for the sake of keeping silent”.
I have been covering Nagaland since my twenties. But I am not sure how many Naga leaders and even intellectuals would articulate such a statement on record. Needless to say … like elsewhere in the world — people speak much more than that in private.
Late Imchen was elected to Nagaland Legislative Assembly five times from Koridang in the 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2023 elections. On the eve of 2023 assembly elections in Nagaland, he had joined other NPF colleagues and had defected to NDPP.
But he knew given his ‘reputation’ with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio — he would not get an NDPP ticket even as reportedly NDPP chief Chingwang Konyak had assured him one.
“I do not blame CM Neiphiu Rio … who will like a trouble maker like me…. I decided to join the BJP …. actually I should have joined in 2018 itself. But in Nagaland unlike the rest of India, the prospects of candidates and often our decisions are decided by fellow villagers. If villagers as a unit make up their mind; that decision will have to be respected. I call myself a Leader, but in Mokokchung areas, we are often prisoners in the hands of villagers and also guided by the ‘range’ factors”.
Looking back — I wonder … What’s this life about? Why are we so crazy about certain things when we do not know what is really stored for us?
Imchen interacted with me at length… talking …. chatting on Whatsapp and discussing issues of concern.
But within a week, he breathed his last.
Imchen, like each one of us, had inherent strengths, weaknesses and contradictions.
How would I remember him in years to come … or how will his voters and the state of Nagaland remember him?
He appeared serious and angry — perhaps revolted by the unhappiness around !
But he was hardly an idealist. The best thing was — he was not shy about it.
“Money in everything … maybe good but everything is money is not acceptable,” he would say very casually.
His behavior and mannerism – I suppose – were tied up with the intricacies of middle-class life.
RIP.
~ Nirendra Dev