Upholding the decision of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), the Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) has requested a female candidate married to a non-indigenous Naga to withdraw her candidacy from the ULB election.
In an ‘Electronic Cirrcular’ issued on 17 June, the LSU said that it has “carefully reviewed the candidacy of Hayina Tungoe in the context of the upcoming ULB election, where it has come to the attention of the office that Hayina Tungoe is married to an individual who is not an indigenous Naga.”
In light of the matter, the LSU concluded that Hayina Tungoe’s candidacy does not align with the “cultural expectation that the Union upholds.”
The LSU stated that it has consistently upheld the cultural and social values that are intrinsic to the identity and unity of the Naga people and that it “strongly stands and supports the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) press statement issued on 11 May 2024.”
As such, the LSU “whilst upholding the integrity and preserving the identity of the Lothas” requested Hayina Tungoe to withdraw her candidacy from contesting the ULB election.
Furthermore, the LSU has called upon concerned citizens to refrain from supporting candidates who do not meet these cultural expectations in future elections.