A quiet power shift in Nagaland
A major political development took place in Nagaland on 31 May as all seven Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs joined the CM Dr Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP. With this, the NDPP’s numbers in the 60-member Assembly rose from 25 to 32, further strengthening Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio’s hold on the state government.
The announcement was made by NDPP leader and spokesperson KG Kenye at Hotel Japfu in Kohima. “I have the pleasure and honor of breaking this news that a few more friends have joined the NDPP party force this evening,” he told the media, revealing that the Speaker had already accepted the merger.
But beyond the numbers, the move raises important questions about the role of national parties in Nagaland, the future of the NDPP-BJP alliance, and what political flexibility looks like in a state where regional concerns often outweigh national narratives.
Until the merger, the NCP was the third largest party in the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly after NDPP and BJP. After the February 2023 election, the assembly comprised of nine political parties: 25 MLAs from the NDPP, 12 from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP),7 from the NCP, 5 from the National Peoples’ Party (NPP), 2 from the Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas (LJP-RV), 2 from the Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF), 2 from the Republican Party of India (RPI), 1 from the Janata Dal (United), along with 4 Independents.
The NCP’s Nagaland unit sided with the Ajit Pawar-led faction following the party split.
Why did the NCP MLAs switch sides?
Kenye offered an explanation that echoed what many in Nagaland’s political circles have quietly discussed: that national parties — by their very nature — are often unable to fully engage with state-specific issues. “While they were in a national party, I think their party constitution did not permit them to focus solely on the state,” he said, suggesting that the NCP legislators were operating with limited freedom to respond to the realities on the ground.
In other words, the merger is less about ideology and more about political pragmatism. For the NCP MLAs, aligning with a dominant regional party like the NDPP not only offers more leverage but also allows them to function in a framework that prioritizes local issues and enhances their ‘winability’ prospects in future elections.
However, this move did not come as a surprise to many political observers. During the 2023 state assembly elections, the NCP was widely perceived as the “proxy party” of the NDPP, while the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) was often seen as the BJP’s proxy. Although none of the parties officially acknowledged such an arrangement, the alignment of campaign narratives and the absence of direct confrontations raised eyebrows at the time.
The merger, in that sense, only formalizes what analysts had long speculated — that these parties were part of a broader political strategy designed to manage alliances while offering room for negotiation post-elections.
No immediate change to NDPP-BJP alliance
When asked if the NDPP’s expanded strength would alter its alliance with the BJP, Kenye responded, “We have no permanent ratio as an arrangement with our coalition partner… but the arrangement is effective for this duration of five years or this period of the 14th House.”
“Every election has its own dynamics,” he added, indicating that the future of the seat-sharing deal with the BJP may be subject to renegotiation ahead of the next election.
On questions of cabinet reshuffling to accommodate the new entrants, Kenye said, “That is outside of my prerogative… it is the Chief Minister’s prerogative.” But with seven new MLAs now under the NDPP banner, internal pressure to accommodate them — either in government or in influential party positions — is likely to grow. How Rio manages this new power balance within the party will be something to watch in the coming months.
This merger also adds to a broader trend in Nagaland politics: the gradual sidelining of national parties in favor of regional forces that are seen as more rooted in the state’s unique context — be it the Naga political issue, customary laws, or development gaps.
For the NCP, this marks an effective exit from Nagaland’s political scene. With all its MLAs having merged with the NDPP, it remains to be seen whether the Nagaland state unit of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) will also formally merge with the NDPP.
The seven NCP MLAs who merged with the NDPP are: Namri Nchang (6 Tening AC), Picto Shohe (32 Atoizu AC), S Toiho Yeptho (33 Suruhoto AC), Y Mhonbemo Humtsoe (38 Wokha Town AC), Y Mankhao Konyak (46 Mon Town AC), A Pongshi Phom (50 Longleng AC), and P Longon (56 Noklak AC).
For the NDPP, it’s a calculated expansion. And for voters, it signals that regional identity — rather than national affiliation — remains the key currency in the state’s political market.
Whether this leads to better governance or simply reinforces political dominance is still to be seen. But what’s clear is that the ground beneath Nagaland’s politics is shifting — and the NDPP has just gained a firmer foothold.