Illegal immigration may top NDA list

NEW DELHI: Having tasted unprecedented electoral success in the North Eastern states, BJP-led NDA government is likely to aggressively push some of its pet issues, which managed to get the alliance popular appeal particularly in the state of Assam.

Party members actively working on the organisation’s outreach efforts in the North East say soon-to-be Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take up policies related to the issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh in the near future and focus on measures to address it.

The measures include, among others, quickening the pace and quality of border fencing, setting up a National Register of Citizens (NRC) and use of metal bullets instead of rubber ones by the paramilitaries on the border.

“The forceful manner in which Modiji focused on the Bangladeshi immigration issue during his campaign in Assam particularly, and the kind of dividends it yielded electorally, indicate he is going to take it up along with a couple of related issues.

There will be frequent visits of ministers to NE states like in the time of Vajpayee for sure,” said a senior party member. The pending land dispute with Bangladesh which had seen some progress in negotiations towards the end of UPA 2 rule is also an important issue which is certain to figure in the new PM’s list of important issues, added this party member.

The NDA had won 5 out of 25 seats in 2009, but this time has won 10. Seven of these have come from Assam alone where the party appears to have breached traditional congress bastions in which it won four seats.

With the ruling Congress party going through a tumultuous phase in Assam, Modi and his political strategists’ focus is also likely to be on preparing favourable ground for the party in the build up to the state elections of 2016 and perhaps even the Meghalaya elections of 2017.

Speaking with ET over the phone from Guwahati, party general secretary for Assam, Sanatanu Bharali said, “There are some issues which need to be taken up and addressed in the short term and others which can find resolution over long term engagement.