DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Tuesday condemned the alleged coercion of their candidate for Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) Ward 7, Kanili Kinilimi, by H Tovihoto Ayemi, MLA and advisor for the Department of Tribal Affairs and Election.
As per local media reports, on June 17, the candidate had claimed that Ayemi, a BJP legislator, had offered her a nominated seat in the DMC in exchange for withdrawing her candidature. She also announced her intention to withdraw from the election race on Tuesday, the last day of withdrawal.
Following the development, the NPCC issued a press release on Tuesday, condemning what it termed as a ‘blatant abuse of power’ by Ayemi and the BJP Nagaland unit.
“Such undemocratic practices aimed at subverting the will of the people should not be tolerated and should be denounced in the strongest possible terms by all right thinking citizens,” it asserted.
It also urged the State Election Commission and the government of Nagaland to take up the matter in all seriousness and initiate necessary action for prompt delivery of justice and win back the confidence of the electorate of the affected ward and the state in general.
Further, the chairman of the NPCC Communication Department, Yanger Longkumer, informed that the party has filed a complaint against the MLA for violation of model code of Conduct (MCC) and other electoral provisions.
A copy of the complaint, released to media on Tuesday, stated that, “the action of the MLA not only undermines the dignity and integrity of the electoral institution but also blatantly violates a number of penal and electoral laws.”
It also criticised the MLA’s intentional and “unconstitutional” conduct while adversely interferes with the spirit of free and fair election, and urged the SEC to restore the integrity and sanctity of the electoral process by investigating the matter at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Kinilimi withdrew her nomination on Tuesday, Longkumer said.