Mokokchung, February 2 (MTNews): Er Kahuli Sema, Rtd. Engineer-in-Chief, NPWD, the “first woman Engineer-in-Chief among the Sumi community and the second among the Nagas,” is the BJP’s lone female candidate set up for 32-Atoizu AC.
Sema voluntarily retired as the Engineer-in-Chief, NPWD in January of this year, stating that she is using her voluntary retirement to participate in politics because she wants to bring about change in the people, but in order to do so, she says, she needs to be in the highest decision-making body, which is politics.
NPF-turned-NDPP MLA Er Picto is the incumbent elected representative from 32-Atoizu AC.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has announced two female candidates for the first time: Hekani Jakhalu for 3-Dimapur III AC and Salhoutuonuo Kruse for 8-Western Angami AC.
Hekani Jakhalu is a lawyer and social entrepreneur who founded the non-governmental organization YouthNet Nagaland. Jakhalu’s opponents include social activist Kahuto Chishi. The constituency is currently represented by NPF-turned-NDPP MLA Azheto Zhimomi.
In Kohima, the NDPP has fielded Salhoutuonuo Kruse, former president of the Angami Women Organization and wife of Late Er Kevisekho Kruse, Retired Chief Engineer PHED Nagaland, who was also the NDPP candidate from the 8-Western Angami Assembly Constituency in the 2018 Assembly Elections. Kruse will run in the same constituency as her late husband.
8-Western Angami AC is currently held by NPF-turned-NDPP MLA Keneizhakho Nakhro.
