On the first day of withdrawal of nominations on Friday, six independents and the lone Congress candidate withdrew from the race to the 13thNagaland Legislative Assembly.
With their withdrawal of nominations, 226 candidates remained in the fray for the State Assembly elections. Nagaland goes to polls on February 27.
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Those who withdrew their nominations are–independent candidates Kelhousithie Kire (9 Kohima Town constituency), Sievituo Linyu (10 Northern Angami I constituency), Dr Neiphrezo Keditsu (11 Northern Angami II constituency), Shasha Phom (49 Tamlu constituency), Hampen Phoma (49 Tamlu constituency) and Imtiyanger Chang (51 Noksen constituency) and Congress candidate Dr Aimong Lam (56 Noklak constituency), Nagaland CEO Media Cell said in a statement.
The last date of withdrawal of candidature is February 12.
Meanwhile, following en masse resignation of its office bearers and party workers, the BJP unit of 34 Aghunato Assembly constituency was dissolved, according to a release issued by president of the unit Kakiye Yepthomi and general secretary Hevukhu. The resignations follow central BJP’s seat sharing agreement with the NDPP.
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The party workers, most of who have made untold sacrifices for the party for the past 4-5 years, have lost faith in the State’s party leadership and are aggrieved at the insult meted out to the grassroots workers by the unjust and irrational decision to have pre-poll alliance with Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) without taking their voice and consent both at the mandal level and the district level, the release said.
“The BJP Aghunato party workers felt that this wrongful decision was made only to satisfy the selfish interests of some vested leaders and not for the interest of the party,” it added.
As such, the office bearers and party workers resolved to disassociate from the BJP and further extended its unflinching support to the NPF, particularly to the party candidate for 34 Aghunato Assembly constituencies Hukiye N Tissica.
In another development, the BJP’s 44th Pomching Assembly constituency has also reportedly been dissolved.
Sources said party workers were left agitated and dissatisfied after Chingshak Konyak, district BJYM vice president, was denied BJP party ticket. The unit decided to support Chingshak who subsequently joined the National People’s Party (NPP) and will contest as NPP candidate in the forthcoming elections.