The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has reportedly agreed to let its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contest in four urban seats as part of the seat-sharing deal in the upcoming assembly elections in Nagaland.
The NDPP and the BJP had contested the 2018 elections with a 40:20 seat-sharing formula and the alliance partners have decided to continue with it, though a number of aspiring candidates and their supporters from the BJP demanded a change in that.
According to a report by a news agency PTI, NDPP sources had said that the BJP sought four urban seats – Kohima Town, Mon Town, Tuensang Sadar-II and Wokha – in its share of 20, which Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has reportedly accepted, making the deal final. State BJP leaders are reported to have confirmed the development.
In the 2018 polls, NDPP candidate Dr Neikiesalie Kire won from Kohima Town. However, the alliance lost the other three seats to NPF contestants. Later, the three NPF legislators and 18 others joined NDPP, doubling the party’s strength in the assembly from 21 to 42, the report said. Party insiders said that Kire is unwilling to leave the seat while talks are on to convince him.
Meanwhile, the BJP State Election Committee had on Saturday held a closed-door meeting in Dimapur for the ensuing assembly election.
A tweet from the party’s official Twitter handle said that the meeting was chaired by State president Temjen Imna Along and attended by national BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli, deputy chief minister Y. Patton, BJP legislators Jacob Zhimomi, S. Pangnyu Phom, Mmhonlumo Kikon and Rajya Sabha MP S Phangnon Konyak.
Filing of nominations for the February 27 election will start on January 31 and will continue till February 7. The election is scheduled to be held in Nagaland on 27 February while counting of votes will take place on March 2.