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DIMAPUR — A total of 523 candidates are in the fray for urban local body (ULB) elections in Nagaland, scheduled to be held on June 26.
With all the candidates from the eastern region, which has 14 town councils, having pulled out from the race, only 25 out of the 39 ULBs across the state will go to polls next week. Out of the total 25 civic bodies, three are municipal councils in Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung.
According to data provided by the State Election Commissioner on Wednesday, 56 candidates will contest in 21 wards of Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC).
Also read: 17 more secure ULB seats unopposed in Nagaland
The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has fielded the highest number of candidates for DMC with 17, followed by 14 Independent candidates.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 10 candidates, Indian National Congress (INC) eight, National People’s Party (NPP) five, and one each from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP).
The Kohima Municipal Council (KMC) has 35 candidates contesting in 14 wards, out of which the NDPP has 14 candidates, NPP 11, INC two, and the remaining eight are Independent.
In the Mokokchung Municipal Council, the election will be held in 13 wards. Out of the 29 candidates here, 12 are from the NDPP, 11 Independent and six from INC.
Among the town councils, East Dimapur Town Council has 16 candidates in fray for seven wards. The NDPP has fielded seven candidates; LJP and INC have two each, while the BJP has one. The other four are Independent candidates.
For the remaining six wards of Niuland Town Council after three were declared elected unopposed, 14 candidates are contesting, including seven Independent, six BJP and one INC.
A total of 28 candidates are contesting in 11 wards of the Chümoukedima Town Council, with the NDPP having fielded 11 candidates while the BJP has 10. The INC has three candidates and an equal number of Independent candidates as well as an NPF candidate.
The Medziphema Town Council, where polling will be held in eight wards, has 11 Independent, eight NDPP and one INC candidates in fray.
Among the 14 candidates contesting in seven wards of the Peren Town Council, seven are from NDPP, six Independent, and one INC.
Jalukie Town Council has eight Independent and an equal number of NDPP candidates alongside four INC candidates, contesting in eight wards.
Polling will be held in six wards of the Tening Town Council, where six Independent, and three candidates each from NDPP and NCP are contesting.
Wokha Town Council will see a contest between 27 candidates in 11 wards. The NDPP has the highest number of candidates with 10, followed by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with seven; BJP five; NPP two and a lone INC candidate. Two Independent candidates are also in the fray.
For seven wards of the Bhandari Town Council, a total of 19 candidates -- seven NPF, four BJP, three 3 Independent, two each from Janata Dal (United) and INC, and one NPP -- will contest.
As per the SEC data, the contest for 12 wards of Zunheboto Town Council will witnessed a contest between 14 Independent, 12 NDPP and two INC candidates, while the Satakha Town Council will see six NDPP, five Independent and four LJP candidates fighting for seven seats.
There are five NCP, four BJP, two Independent, and one NDPP candidate in the mix for six wards of the Atoizu Town Council.
Meanwhile, the fight is between six Independent and six NDPP candidates for six wards of the Aghunato Town Council.
With the highest number of candidates among town councils at present, Tseminyu will see a contest between 29 candidates in nine wards. The NDPP, the Republican Party of India (Athawale) and the JDU all have fielded seven candidates each, while there are six Independents. The Rising People’s Party (RPP) and the NPP are also contesting one seat each.
The Tuli Town Council has six candidates for three wards— three are Independent, two BJP and one INC, while the contest in nine wards of Changtongya Town Council will see 12 Independents, seven NDPP and a lone INC candidate compete.
Out of the 19 candidates competing for eight wards in the Mangkolemba Town Council, 10 are Independent; eight from the NDPP, and one from INC.
Phek Town Council has 25 candidates in the fray for 11 wards. The NPF has the highest number of candidates at 11, followed closely by 10 from NDPP. There are also two Independents and one each from BJP and NPP.
For 10 wards of the Pfutsero Town Council, a total of 28 candidates -- 16 Independent, 10 NDPP, and one each from NPF and NPP – are contesting.
Meluri Town Council has five NDPP candidates and six Independents contesting in five wards.
In the Chozuba Town Council, there are 17 Independents among the 28 candidates contesting in nine wards. The NDPP also has fieded nine candidates while the INC and BJP have one each.
The state will go to polls on June 26, and re-poll, if any, will be conducted on June 28. Counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on June 29.