With just one day until the Nagaland Election 2023 results are declared, the Mokokchung unit of various political parties shared their thoughts and analysis with this newspaper on how they believe the poll will turn out.
The widespread belief that the NDPP-BJP alliance will retain power and come out with a landslide majority might just prove to be correct.
Talking to Mokokchung Times, BJP Mokokchung President Imolemba expressed confidence that all three of the party’s candidates would win. This time around, the BJP has three candidates in Mokokchung district: Panjung Jamir (21 Tuli AC), Imkong L Imchen (28 Koridang AC), and Temjen Imna Along (30 Alongtaki AC). The BJP contested in only 2 assembly constituencies in 2018 where it won both seats.
“Our state president Imna Along and Panjung performed really well. Although Imkong L Imchen may not win by a large margin, we believe he will win. But we’ll see,” Imolemba added.
Arenla Pongen, President, NDPP Women Organization, Mokokchung Region stated that the party is confident that six of the seven NDPP candidates in the district will definitely win while one is doubtful.
“We’re hoping that all seven candidates will win. We have faith in all seven of them, but we have slight reservations about Angetyongpang,” she said.
Tongpang Ozukum (NDPP), S Maongkaba (NPP), and Er K Wati (IND) were the three candidates in Angetyongpang AC.
Tsuknung Jamir, National People’s Party (NPP) president of Mokokchung District, while speaking on the two candidates stated that before the election, they were confident of their candidate Nuklutoshi winning in 22 Arkakong AC because of his strong standing.
“Unfortunately, it may not happen the way we expected. We were expecting about 80% of the votes from Yaongyimsen but suddenly two polling stations switched to opposition,” he said. Nuklutoshi faced NDPP candidate Imnatiba this time.
The NPP president went on to say that their candidate 24 Angetyongpang AC candidate Maongkaba had a poor performance in Mongsenyimti village and that only about 10 votes were allowed for him.
Meanwhile, the Congress pointed out the role of money power in determining electoral outcome.
“The Congress does not have money, so we are not expecting much to win,” said Watimongba, president of the Mokokchung District Congress Committee, adding that they do not expect to win from any constituency.
However, he believes that if the Indians can defeat Modi in the Lok Sabha election in 2024, the Congress will undoubtedly return to power.
“If it had been a clean election, the Congress would have won many seats,” he regretted.
Tangit Imsong, General Secretary of the NPF Mokokchung Division said there is not much hope to win for their party president, Moasangba Jamir of 25-Mongoya AC but shared optimism that Major Toshikaba from 28-Koridang and Imjongwati from 29-Jangpetkong will win.
“Of course, every party has their own assessment but we are really hopeful that Toshikaba and Imjongwati will win. And in case we lose, it will be by a very small margin,” he added.
Meanwhile, 30 Alongtaki AC sources said that the Janata Dal (United) candidate Er J Lanu Longchar received 60-70% “moral support” ahead of the election but that percentage dropped during voting.
“The JD (U) candidate winning this time is highly doubtful,” the source said, adding, “If it was a clean election, there would have been a different result.”
Most political parties also openly expressed their uncertainty about the 28-Koridang AC, where most of them reiterated that the contest between Major Toshikaba of the NPF and Imkong L Imchen of the BJP will be a close encounter and that none will win by a large margin.
According to many observers, the swing voters in the constituency this time were primarily Longkhum village residents, putting the two candidates in a tight race.
Interests were also shown to 23 Impur AC and 24 Angetyongpang AC where many viewed the results as uncertain. However, the Congress president believes that even in Impur AC, they will not likely win.
Bendangkokba of the INC and TN Mannen of the NDPP are the candidates for the Impur AC in a straight fight. Many observers agree that swing voters were from Süngratsü village, and that the vote distribution between the two candidates was 60-40, going in favour of either side.
The NCP president of the Tuli Unit could not be reached at the time of filing this report.