(Following is the full text of the press release sent by Hayithung Bill Lotha, Ex. NPP MP Lok Sabha candidate 2019. Minor edits have been made.)

BJP win in India’s 2024 general election ‘almost electorally an inevitability and politically on a sure-fire winning edge’.

As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept three major state elections in December, 2023; India’s prime minister Narendra Modi did not hold back from predicting that ‘this hat-trick has guaranteed the 2024 victory’.

In India’s current political landscape, the consensus among political analysts and poll pundits is that a win for Modi and the BJP is the most plausible outcome.

On a personal note, as I mentioned in my earlier write-up, electorally Nagaland State sends a single elected member to the Lok Sabha out of a total 543, making our state a numerically insignificant force on our own.

Read more: Former LS candidate urges Congress not to field candidate in Nagaland, calls for unopposed MP

Pondering over our state’s electoral performance in the Lok Sabha since 2004 for the consecutive five elections; Nagas had elected regional party representative in the Lok Sabha viz. 2004, 2009, 2014, 2018 and 2019. To be candid, on a extremely sad note which I believe will be the opinion of all right thinking Nagas and the overwhelming majority of Nagas; the last five consecutive tenures by our regional party LS MP’s translated to almost nothing in terms of securing central funding for development and host of other issues because of our obvious single LS MP marginalization; except for the successive LS MP’s drawing their monthly salary, enjoying posh government bungalow in Lutyens lane, one peon and one PA allowances and the normal 5 crores rupees MPLADF for the entire state.

Now supposed Nagas were to unite in sending a common, consensus Naga BJP candidate as Lok Sabha MP in 2024 unopposed; three significant and highly beneficial impact Nagas shall garner from such a political move. Firstly, it will add more political heft in the hands of our state’s chief minister who shall be acknowledge as a leader sending his single state Lok Sabha MP to the NDA kitty through a full majority party like the BJP whereby increasing his and the Naga BJP LS MP’s political weight nationally. Secondly, such an MP has a high scope in being inducted in Modi 3.0 cabinet after a gap of more than 50 years, making Nagas more politically relevant in the power corridors of Delhi especially during the most critical juncture in our Naga history on the verge of inking an Indo-Naga Peace Treaty touted as the ‘Final Naga Solution’. Thirdly, with a Naga BJP LS MP the concern parliamentarian can play a big role in facilitating for huge central allocations across various central ministries, thereby accelerating the double engine government of the state and central government to new unimaginable heights.

However, one thing we Nagas need to be crystal clear is the logic that going by the previous Nagaland Lok Sabha result (which is the last indicator) wherein NDPP candidate Tokheho Yepthomi secured 5,00,510 votes with opposition INC candidate KL Chishi who secured 4,84,166 votes coupled with my own 14,997 votes plus NOTA 2,064 cumulatively was more than the NDPP winner. Estimating by such standards, I should be accorded the first privilege to be nominated, because if I join the opposition force the result will tilt towards the opposition in 2024.

‘Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the greatest PM of India in the 21st century’, and his determined drive shall translate into transforming India into a developed nation by 2047.

In my concluding remarks, I want to humbly give a clarion call with folded hands to the Congress, RPP and the LJP (RV) to jointly cooperate in sending the common, consensus Naga candidate as the winning edge of such a candidate is ‘beyond any reasonable doubt’ as all the 60 elected oppositionless MLA’s representing 8 political parties shall be fully behind it. All other electoral adventurism will prove to be utterly futile and meaningless. Power politics works in strange ways, as it’s all about winning elections at all cost, with ideological considerations and social activism taking a huge back-seat for a unique state like Nagaland.