Nationalist Democratic People’s Party (NDPP) Chief Ministerial candidate and former Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio was elected unopposed to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly after his rival NPF candidate Chupfuo Angami withdrew his nomination on Monday.
Three candidates filed their nominations from Northern Angami II constituency – Neiphiu Rio (NDPP), Chupfuo Angami (NPF) and an NDPP (S) Neiphrezo Keditsu. The standby candidate for the NDPP and the NPF candidate withdrew their candidatures on Monday paving Rio to win the seat uncontested.
The NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland has now one seat in their kitty.
This is the second such victory for Rio. Rio who is Nagaland’s lone Lok Sabha MP earlier won uncontested as the Congress candidate in 1998.
“The NPF candidate withdrew his nomination today and the only other candidate of the NDPP was declared winner,” Nagaland’s Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said.
NPF spokesperson Sebastian Zumvu said the party was surprised by their candidate Chupfuo Angami’s decision.
Rio contested and won the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 after serving as Chief Minister for 11 years since 2003.