Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 12 (EMN): Newcomer in electoral politics, Kekhrie Yhome on Wednesday filed his nomination papers to contest in the by-election for 10 Northern Angami-I assembly constituency as an Independent candidate scheduled to be held on July 29.
By signing the nomination papers today, a showdown between the newbie in politics and the state’s octogenarian chief minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu is now imminent. The latter had filed his nomination on Tuesday.
In a brief interview with media persons after filing his nomination at DC Office Kohima, Yhome asserted that his standing for election is because there was so much to discuss. “We want to spread the gospel of the youth….,” he said, pointing out that everybody is looking for change and he aspires to learn what that change is.
“Here we want to prove that what the Election Commission has engaged the people to do, what the church members are asking the people to do, what the common people themselves want to do… We are advocating for clean election,” Yhome said.
“I for one, am not going to buy votes. Let the people decide, whether it should be the power of money which decides the electorate or whether it should be the voice of the public which will be reinstated,” he added.
When queried if it was true that some elders from his village tried to dissuade him from filing his nomination, he said he was told there were lots of political stooges from the opponent party.
“I cannot understand why they do not want me to contest when it is a democratic right for anybody to contest…,” Yhome stated. However, he maintained that everybody has the right to contest and he does not think the village elders in the form of the village council have any problems with that.
On his confidence in winning the by-election which was to be a head-on with veteran politician Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, Yhome admitted that it definitely will not be an easy sail but he is hopeful that he would be part of the next eight months government.
He also pointed out that the disadvantage was that by-election is usually unfavourable for fresh entrants, but the constituency being compact, he said he has been going around meeting people.
He further expressed hope that a stable government would continue till the general elections which is due in eight months.
It was learnt that Yhome’s stand-by candidate is Neitsu Khezhie.
With today being the last day for filing of nominations, on Thursday the nominations will be scrutinised while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is July 15.
As per the State Election Commission, the 10 Northern Angami-I AC currently has 16,108 electorates, of which 8459 are female and 7649 are male.
