Buoyed by poor response to the statewide bandh called by the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations (CCNTHCO) in Nagaland, the BJP announces to fight Nagaland polls slated to be held on February 27.
The BJP declared late Thursday night that it would contest the February 27 Assembly election as announced by the Election Commission of India.
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Following the BJP’s decision, the NPF also decided to fight Nagaland polls and other parties, including the Congress followed the suit.
The CCNTHCO called the bandh on Thursday to protest against ECI issuing the election notification on January 31. However, except for Dimapur, Mokokchung and Zunheboto the bandh evoked no response in other districts. Interestingly, there were no bandh enforcers even in the districts where it was near total.
In a release, the state unit of the party said after a thorough deliberation with BJP Central leaders, it was agreed upon that BJP would contest the election in the state as per schedule for the cause of Naga solution while terming the decision as “a major significant development”.
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Also read: Nagaland Assembly election: NPF, BJP to work out seat-sharing formula
The release said the Nagaland BJP leaders led by state president Visasolie Lhonugu and accompanied by former state president Dr M Chuba Ao and former Home Minister Y Patton met National BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is also Northeast in charge of the BJP, in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss Nagaland’s political development.
“After a thorough deliberation, it was agreed upon that BJP would contest the election for the cause of solution in the State as per scheduled. Bharatiya Janata Party is for early solution to the present Naga political issue and BJP will be part of the system to implement all the agreements held between the Government of India and the negotiating parties,” the party said.
Co-convenor of state BJP’s election management committee Mmhonlumo Kikon, in a separate release, said the party is in the final stage of stitching together an alliance for the forthcoming elections.
Now, all the political parties, who had signed a joint declaration to boycott the ensuing election on January 29, are in a hurry to issue tickets to the candidates to fight the polls. The BJP had already suspended two of its members for signing the joint declaration.
Forms for nominations are reportedly being collected in several constituencies. It was learnt more than 10 nomination forms were collected by intending candidates In Kohima. The last date for filing of nominations is February 7.