On 6 April 2024, Supongmeren Jamir, the consensus candidate of the Congress party and Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), kicked off his campaign for the 18th Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland. Speaking at a town hall in Mokokchung, Jamir stressed that the upcoming parliamentary election is being fought on the grounds of faith and ideology rather than political policies.
Jamir, a seasoned politician, is representing the newly formed INDIA alliance, which comprises 26 opposition parties seeking to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2024 general elections. During his address, Jamir alleged that the faith, traditions, and customs of minorities are gradually being threatened and destroyed by the NDA government and its allies, including the United Democratic Alliance government of Nagaland.
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The candidate criticised the NDA government for targeting Christians and other minorities in the country. He cited examples such as the forceful replacement of religious holidays with working days and the Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill 2024, which he claims penalises Christians offering prayer or healing services. Jamir appealed to the people to vote for him to protect secularism and bring change.
If elected, Jamir promised that the Congress party would implement various schemes for the upliftment of the people. These include INR 1 lakh every year to women living below the poverty line, 50% job reservation for women, enhancement of salaries for Anganwadi workers, creation of jobs, and funds for student education.
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Nagaland, which has only one Lok Sabha seat, will hold its elections in a single phase on 19 April 2024. In the 2019 elections, Tokheho Yepthomi of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), an ally of the BJP, secured the seat with 49.73% of the votes, defeating K L Chishi of the Congress who received 48% of the votes.
Political analysts suggest that ideology is playing an increasingly important role in Indian politics today. Issues like the role of the state in economic and social policy, addressing historical inequalities, and Hindu nationalism are defining the ideological divide. The use of religion as a political tool has grown in recent decades, with the BJP’s Hindutva ideology gaining prominence.
The INDIA alliance, in contrast, is positioning itself as a secular front to protect the constitutional values of religious freedom and minority rights. However, the alliance faces challenges in staying united due to internal rivalries and disagreements over seat-sharing.
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As the campaign for the 18th Lok Sabha elections in Nagaland begins, Supongmeren Jamir and the INDIA alliance are set to challenge the ruling BJP-NDPP combine. The battle lines are being drawn on the basis of faith, ideology, and the protection of minority rights.
The outcome of this election will not only determine the representative for Nagaland in the Lok Sabha but also provide insights into the larger ideological shifts shaping Indian politics in the 21st century.
