Description
The BJP scored a perfect three in the just-concluded Assembly polls in three north-eastern states. The morale-boosting victory for the party in Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya was widely attributed to Himanta Biswa Sarma, the prime minister of Assam and a key BJP strategist in the northeast. Mr. Sarma, who for almost seven years has headed the North Eastern Democratic Alliance (NEDA), a member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has played a key role in the BJP's “North Eastern Mission”. This included changing the prime minister in Tripura and keeping open behind-the-scenes talks with former allies like Conrad Sangma's party in Meghalaya. Assam's prime minister was also instrumental in the leadership change in Tripura just a year before the assembly elections in the state. The decision to replace Biplab Kumar with Dr. Manik Saha, a dentist by profession, to check for anti-entitlement is said to be one of the key factors that helped the BJP retain status. Mr. Sarma also campaigned in the state and settled in Agartala. He also assigned specific areas to his minister for elections.
Sarma also kept an open communication channel for talks with Tipra Motha, a tribal-dominated party led by former royal descendant Pradyot Manikya Debbarman, which became the second-largest party when it debuted in an Assembly poll.
Mr. Sarma also played a crucial role in Nagaland, ensuring the good partnership between the National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP. Although he only won two seats in the state, NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio is likely to give the BJP many important portfolios in his cabinet.
