The consensus candidate of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) from the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) S Keoshu Yimchunger filed his nomination for the byelection to the Shamator-Chessore Assembly constituency at Shamator sub-division additional deputy commissioner’s office in Tuensang district on Friday.
Since no other candidate has filed nomination for the by-poll till the last day of filing of nominations on October 8, Yimchunger is all set to be declared winner unopposed. Polling is scheduled to be held on October 30 and counting of votes on November 2.
The NDPP declared Yimchunger as the consensus candidate of the UDA for the bypoll on Thursday and gave him the party ticket at its headquarters here.
The by-election was necessitated following the death of ruling NDPP MLA Toshi Wungtung.
The BJP and Naga People’s Front (NPF) who are alliance partners of the all-party opposition-less UDA government in Nagaland have decided to support the NDPP candidate.
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has also decided not to field its candidate for the byelection. The PCC took the decision at a meeting with All India Congress Committee secretary in charge of Nagaland Ajay Kumar in Kohima on October 6.
NDPP president Chingwang Konyak thanked the BJP and NPF for deciding to support the NDPP candidate. He also expressed gratitude to other aspiring candidates for opting out of the byelection race and accepting the candidature of the NDPP candidate.
At the ticket distribution ceremony of the NDPP candidate, NPF vice president Pusazo Luruo said his party had decided not to field its candidate to strengthen the principle of opposition-less government.
State BJP vice president Hurui Zeliang stated that the UDA consensus candidate will have a positive impact on the alliance partners and make the alliance stronger.
The NDPP, BJP and the NPF, which was in the Opposition, along with two Independent MLAs, formed the opposition-less government in the state for the cause of Naga political issue on August 16.
The NDPP at present has 20 MLAs, BJP 12 and NPF 25, besides two Independents, in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly. Once its candidate for the byelection to the Shamator-Chessore seat is declared winner, the NDPP’s tally in the Assembly will increase to 21.