The Naga People’s Front (NPF) marked its 64th foundation day on October 21 under circumstances that underline both the resilience of regional politics in Nagaland and the remarkable transformation of the party itself. The NPF is the oldest regional political force in the Northeast. Over six decades, it has changed its name repeatedly, endured splits, survived defections, lost power, returned to government and, ultimately, emerged as the dominant force in the state. The party’s journey began on October 21, 1963, in Kohima, when A. Kevichusa founded the Democratic Party of Nagaland (DPN), the first regional party in the Northeast. In 1969, it was renamed the United Front of Nagaland (UFN). Three years later, amid a major split in the Naga Nationalist Organisation, the UFN became the United Democratic Front (UDF). The UDF became the first regional party in Nagaland to form a government after the 1974 elections, with the support of independent legislators. That government, however, collapsed in 1975 because of defections. After more than two years of President’s Rule, the UDF returned to power in 1977, only to suffer the same fate again. In 1980, the UDF merged with the Naga National Party to create the Naga Nationalist Democratic Party (NNDP), with the objective of dislodging the Congress-led alliance. The NNDP won 24 seats in the 1982 election, equaling the Congress tally, but failed to form the government. By 1987, regionalism had weakened further when the NNDP split and its dominant faction formed the Nagaland People’s Council (NPC). The political developments that followed demonstrated the fluid nature of Nagaland’s electoral politics. In 1990, the NPC and the Congress joined hands to form the government, making possible an alliance that had once appeared unlikely. In 2002, under the leadership of former Congress minister, who initiated the revival of NPC to rename it as Nagaland People’s Front, regionalism received a boost and, by October that year, it became the Naga People’s Front. On its maiden election, the NPF captured power in the 2003 election by cobbling a majority through post-poll alliance. However, regionalism suffered another setback in 2017 when the NPF split and the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) was formed. In the 2018 election, the NDPP came to power through an alliance despite winning only 18 seats, while the NPF secured 26. The political equation changed dramatically on October 18, 2025, when the ruling NDPP officially merged with the NPF. The merger was recognised by the Election Commission of India on May 4, 2026. The NPF now commands 39 MLAs and leads an oppositionless government comprising all 60 members of the Assembly. This outcome marks the latest phase of a regional political tradition that has remained unbroken since Dr Neiphiu Rio led the fledgling NPF to its first electoral victory over the Congress government. The party’s endurance reflects more than organisational survival. It points to the continuing strength of regional identity in Nagaland. Yet the NPF’s longevity is also inseparable from Rio’s leadership. His ability to build alliances and accommodate diverse political interests has been central to the party’s rise. Nagaland’s regionalism has survived because it has repeatedly adapted. The NPF’s present dominance is therefore not merely the result of political arithmetic; it is the product of endurance, reinvention and inclusive leadership.
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