The NPF Band performs at a campaign in Dimapur. Picture by Dilip Sharma

Kohima, March 3: Neiphiu Rio, Nagaland’s new regional mascot, missed a place in history by a whisker.

Just two months short of becoming the first chief minister from a regional party of the state to complete a full five-year term, his Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government was dismissed and President’s rule imposed.

An old hand in turning political adversity to his advantage, Rio has been determined in his effort to whip up a sympathy wave by projecting himself as a victim of the Congress’s greed for power.

Many Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) leaders admit in private that Rio has been able to duck the anti-incumbency factor to a large extent by turning the tables on the Congress — he has launched a counter attack on the UPA government for imposing President’s rule in the state.

From the commercial hub of Dimapur to remote Tuensang, the core theme of his campaign, which drew to a close today, has been the unceremonious dismissal of his government. Cleverly terming President’s rule as “army rule”, Rio tried to send out a message to the electorate that unlike his party, the Congress was not keen to find a political solution to the Naga problem.

Rio, who started his legislative career as a Congress legislator in 1989, champions regional aspiration by arguing that the Congress has failed to redress the grievances of different communities and ethnic groups.

To drive home his message, Rio has encouraged youths of his Northern Angami-II constituency, from where he is seeking re-election for the fifth consecutive term, to come out with a music CD mocking President’s rule and eulogising the DAN coalition.

Rio has even composed a number, March together, in the album titled DAN for Progress and Peace.

One of the eight songs in the album goes: “UPA government ki dise? President rule package, army rule package dise (What did the UPA government give to the people? President’s rule and army rule).”

One song is dedicated to Bedrock of Naga Society, a controversial booklet published by the PCC when former chief minister S.C. Jamir was at the helm of affairs.

In his campaign trail, Rio took along a four-member NPF Band to sing songs from the album.

From the tone and tenor of his speeches, he appeared to be the challenger who is seeking a mandate against the Congress and not for his government.

Rio, a badminton player of some repute, has succeeded in repeatedly smashing the shuttle into the Congress’s court. Whether that will be enough to win the match remains to be seen.