BJP forms NEDA to boost development agenda in North-East India

The abbreviation NEDA standing for North East Democratic Alliance was in news as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on 24 May 2016 formed NEDA to boost development agenda in North-Eastern states of India. This alliance can be termed as non-Congress alliance of parties willing to join of Chief Ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Sikkim. The main objective of the NEDA, which is part of the NDA, will be all-round development of North East and better co-ordination among the states and central government. The decision to form the alliance was taken at a meet in Guwahati in the presence of BJP President Amit Shah, BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav and Chief Ministers of Assam, Nagaland, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. BJP leader and Cabinet Minister in newly formed Assam government Himanta Biswa Sarma will be Convener of the alliance. Comment Assam is the first North Eastern state of India that is governed by BJP, which wants to utilise the opportunity as the gateway to North-East India. At present, Congress runs three north-eastern states. Apart from this, this region sends 25 Member of Parliament (MP) to Lok Sabha. At present, BJP have eight lawmakers from the region in Lok Sabha, of which seven are from Assam (14 seats available) and 1 from Arunachal Pradesh (2 seats available).