Meeting between party’s central and state leadership decides to contest Nagaland elections per schedule
Dimapur, Feb. 1 (EMN): On a day when the entire Nagaland held its breath – in anticipation of a manoeuvre fated to provoke a chain of chessboard moves across the state’s political landscape – the Nagaland unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took centre-stage with its late night announcement that the party intends to contest the Nagaland assembly elections ‘as per schedule’.
Notwithstanding the defiant message its announcement was delivering – when put into context the ‘solution before election’ call made by Naga civil organisations and armed political groups – the BJP Nagaland media cell termed the decision as “a major significant development” in a press release issued Thu.
According to the statement, Nagaland BJP leaders met the National BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, who is also in charge of the BJP’s northeast political affairs, 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 (sic). 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 statement read.
Stitching alliance
In a separate statement from the co-convenor of the BJP’s election management committee, Mmhonlumo Kikon, it was stated that the party was ‘in the final stage of stitching together an alliance for the forthcoming elections’. The BJP, according to the statement, was set to finalise ‘seat-sharing’ agreement by Feb. 1.
Congress pinpoints BJP’s doublespeak
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) stated that the ‘belligerent” stand of the BJP to ‘force elections in Nagaland’ shall be remembered for all times to come.
“Having deliberately planned to flood the state with money to lure candidates and buyout the voters, they simply brushed aside the joint declaration of Jan 29 and made a scapegoat out of their senior party functionary.
“The arrogance of the BJP has been greatly helped by majority of our people who believe that candidates should buy vote to win elections,” it stated.
The NPCC also informed that it would be releasing its 2018 election manifesto soon. “It is also ironic that candidates who abhor BJP and its ideology are readily joining the parties that are allied with BJP. Our people should be wise enough to reject those candidates who think that the voters are gullible enough to be taken for a ride.”
Nomination day 2: No takers yet
Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Feb. 1 (EMN): Even as the nomination period entered the second day on Thur. following the publication of the notification for the state assembly election on Jan. 31, no nomination was filed in all the 60 assembly constituencies.
Although nomination was not filed anywhere as of Feb.1, it was learned that forms for the same were being collected in several constituencies. In Kohima, it is reported that more than ten nomination forms were collected by intending candidates. Kohima district has seven constituency seats.
Intending candidates can avail the required papers and file their nomination in the respective returning officer's (RO) offices across the state till Feb. 7. Nomination can be received by ROs and AROs from 11 am till 3 pm every day. The nomination period will close on Feb. 7, 3 pm.
