Amit Shah’s northeast expansion plan faces hurdle

GUWAHATI: BJP president Amit Shah’s plan to expand in the northeast with grouping of non-Congress parties- Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) has taken a beating, with Congress rebels returning to the party in Arunachal Pradesh.

NEDA, formed after BJP’s victory in Assam polls, was launched on July 13 when the SC reinstated the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government in Arunachal.

Formed to carry forward Shah’s agenda of a Congress-mukt northeast India, NEDA includes 10 regional parties.

The dissidents within Congress in Meghalaya and Manipur, taking leaf out of the Arunachal experience, had sent feelers to BJP. They were knocking at the doors of AICC to redress their grievances, which is largely one of leadership change.

BJP leader and NEDA convenor, Himanta Sarma, recently said: “We have feelers from Congress rebels in Meghalaya and Manipur. But most of the NE states are going to polls shortly, and we want to contest the elections and come to power in all the states democratically and will make Northeast India Congress-mukt.”

However, Congress isn’t reading too much into NEDA.

“While trying to free NE of Congress, BJP got eliminated in Arunachal. This is the first casualty which Shah’s NEDA has suffered,” said former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi.

“The blueprint of Congress-mukt NE India was drafted in Arunachal, but Congress gave a befitting reply.