New Regional Front Casts Shadow Over NEDA’s Future as Northeast Politics Shifts Towards Indigenous Unity

Guwahati: The future of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) — the BJP-led coalition of non-Congress parties in the region formed in 2016 — now appears uncertain and increasingly fragile in light of the new regional political formation announced by leaders such as Conrad K. Sangma, Pradyot Manikya, Daniel Langthasa, and Mmhonlumo Kikon.

NEDA was originally conceived by the BJP as a mechanism to expand its presence in the Northeast by bringing together diverse regional parties under a single umbrella.

Under the leadership of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, NEDA successfully united parties like the NDPP in Nagaland, the NPP in Meghalaya, the MNF in Mizoram, and the AGP in Assam. For nearly a decade, it provided the BJP with a steady foothold in a region where the party had limited historical influence.

However, the emergence of a new collective regional voice indicates that this political balance may now be shifting. The announcement by regional leaders to create a single political entity representing the aspirations of the Northeast has sparked discussions about whether NEDA can sustain its relevance amid changing regional sentiments.

Speaking to Millennium Post, Daniel Langthasa, leader of the People’s Party of Assam and former member of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, said the initiative was driven by a long-felt need to unify smaller regional voices that have remained unheard for decades.

“Voices from the Northeast have been ignored for a very long time. Except for Assam, there is barely any representation at the Centre. Within the states too, smaller parties have little space. Most of the issues, especially those concerning indigenous people, are overshadowed — from illegal migration to development and political representation. This is just the start, and many people genuinely want unity. We have decided to come together, and in the next 45 days, a constitution will be drafted to bring all smaller regional parties under one vision,” Langthasa said.

The exclusion of the NDPP, AGP, and Mizoram’s Zoram People’s Movement from the new initiative shows that while the BJP still retains some allies, several influential leaders and parties are beginning to distance themselves from the national party’s dominance.

The presence of figures like Conrad Sangma and Pradyot Manikya — both of whom have, at various points, worked closely with the BJP — signals a growing restlessness within the regional political space. Their emphasis on forming an indigenous and unified front underlines a deeper desire for political autonomy and reduced dependence on national party structures.

In the medium term, NEDA may face serious tests of cohesion. The alliance has always functioned less as an ideological bloc and more as a pragmatic arrangement, bound by the BJP’s central influence and electoral resources.

As regional leaders begin asserting a collective identity, the BJP’s ability to command allegiance through developmental and resource-based narratives may weaken. If the new platform successfully projects itself as a credible alternative representing indigenous aspirations, it could erode NEDA’s coherence — particularly in states where tribal identity remains a defining political factor.

In the longer run, NEDA might either fragment or evolve into a looser, state-specific coordination framework. The BJP may try to retain its core allies like the NDPP and AGP while recalibrating its approach toward assertive partners such as the NPP and TIPRA Motha.

Much will depend on the outcome of the 2026 Assam Assembly elections and subsequent polls in Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura. Should the new regional front gain traction and mass appeal, it could emerge as a parallel power centre — one that challenges both the Congress’s traditional base and the BJP’s model of dominance through NEDA.

The Northeast is entering a new phase where identity, autonomy, and self-representation are once again at the heart of its politics.

The BJP’s centralised strategy, which once helped consolidate power in the region, may now face its strongest challenge from within — from leaders who once shared its platform but now seek to redefine regional politics on their own terms.

If the new regional front led by Conrad Sangma manages to consolidate and gain legitimacy, NEDA might soon be remembered as a symbol of an era when regional parties drew strength from Delhi — rather than from the collective voice of the Northeast itself.