United Democratic Alliance | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | UDA |
| Chairperson | T. R. Zeliang (Chairman) Küzholüzo Nienü (Co-chairman) |
| Founded | 18 September 2021 |
| Ideology | Regionalism |
| Political position | Big tent |
| Alliance | NDPP BJP NPF |
The United Democratic Alliance is a state-level political alliance in the Indian state of Nagaland.
In the run-up to the 2018 Nagaland Legislative Assembly election, the ruling Naga People's Front split over whether to continue its coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party. A rebel group led by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio created the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party,[1] and the NDPP and BJP contested the election in alliance.[2] They won the election, and formed a coalition government under Rio, with the NPF serving as the opposition. The government was called the People's Democratic Alliance.[3][4][5]
On 22 July 2021, the NPF announced its intention to join the state government,[6] which was ratified by the PDA on 11 August, resulting in the formation of an all-party government. The NPF cited a shared need to resolve the "Naga political issue" and the ongoing negotiations with the National Socialist Council of Nagalim and other separatist groups as the reason for its decision.[7] The new government was initially called the Nagaland Unity Government, but Rio later announced that its name would be the United Democratic Alliance.[8] Several news outlets dubbed the new government "Opposition-less",[9] as all seats in the Legislative Assembly are held by constituent parties. The formation of such a government was criticised by some, with The Naga Rising calling it "a fraud on the people" and noting that there was already an all-party committee on resolving the Naga issue.[10] The Kohima District Congress Committee expressed similar views.[11]