Known for his active participation in society, 45-year-old Aongsen Aier from Mokokchung has declared his candidacy for the upcoming ULB election from Arkong ward.
Aier, who has been a resident of Arkong ward since 1979, has held various active positions in society, ranging from Sunday School teacher to being a member of the pressure group Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem. Aier was previously part of the NPCC and served as the President of NPP Mokokchung from October 2020 to May 2022.
Aier believes that Nagaland, particularly Mokokchung, suffered significantly when the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 was boycotted. He hopes that the resumption of the Urban Local Bodies election after 20 years will bring hope and help “catch up” from the losses.
“I have been preparing for this for the past ten years in the hope that the municipal election will take place,” he said, adding that it has been his desire to serve the public, especially Arkong ward. “Arkong ward is my heart and soul,” he added.
However, he asserted that he will not seek support from any political party and will contest as an independent candidate. “It is not the party that will work, but I, Aongsen, will,” he asserted.
He also stood firm that he will pursue a clean election and appealed to the residents of Arkong ward to support him in this endeavor.
According to Aier, his biggest desire is to speak for the public. “Inside our homes, we criticize the government and the department a lot, but we rarely raise our voices in public. I wish to be the voice of the public, the truth, and represent their grievances,” he said, adding, “It’s time to turn our complaints into action.”
Speaking on his motto, he said, “I cannot make any promises at the moment because no one clearly knows what is in there (MMC). Therefore, I want to tell the residents of Arkong ward to let me enter, have a look, and see what’s in there. Following that, we will handle it together.”
He later asserted that he is ready to represent the ward if the residents of Arkong give him a chance.