Nagaland election 2023: NDPP rubbishes report of Abu Metha getting life threats over ticket issuance

Dimapur, Jan. 20 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has rubbished a report by Dimapur Today claiming that Secretary General of the party, Abu Metha, had said during a meeting with BJP leaders in New Delhi that "he was getting life threats to allocate ticket to the NDPP in the 13th Pughoboto Assembly Constituency".

The report, citing sources, claimed that Metha made the statement in the presence of Union Home Minister, Assam Chief Minister and Nagaland BJP leaders including Deputy CM and state party chief on Thursday.

However, a clarification signed by NDPP senior Vice President Rusemtong Longkumer and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio stated that Metha never made such statement or discussed in the meeting between the NDPP and BJP leaders.

"In the meeting, the seat sharing of both the parties was discussed in a cordial manner and the source of the news report is completely incorrect. Therefore, this communique is being issued so that any misconception that is being spread is clarified," read the statement.

The NDPP and BJP leaders had a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss seat sharing for the upcoming Nagaland Assembly election.

The two parties finalised a 40:20 seat sharing deal for the upcoming state general election, as was in the 2018 poll, with the NDPP to contest in 40 seats and its ally BJP in 20.