Could bye-elections be a battle of alliances?

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 16 (EMN): To tackle the NDPP-BJP alliance, it appears like the NPF and the NPCC could put up a united front for the bye-elections to 14-Southern Angami-I and 60-Pungro-Kiphire assembly constituencies.

Seemingly, both the alliances have come up with similar formulae — to split the seats between them and fight in tandem.

According to the president of Kohima District Congress Committee (KDCC), Kevi Vizo, they have potential candidates who stand for secular ideas ‘but the voters want rich candidates’, which they don’t have.

Thus, he said, the NPCC is not fielding candidate for the bye-poll to 14-Southern-Angami-I seat.

When asked about the position of the Congress in 60-Pungro-Kiphire assembly constituency, Vizo stated that during the last Lok Sabha elections, the Indian National Congress (INC) candidate, with the support of NPF, had led by more than 4600 votes in the constituency.

As such, he hoped that people in the constituency would continue to stand by the principle of secularism and stand against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Queried if Congress and NPF are putting up a united front against the ruling PDA government, Vizo maintained that they owe NPF as they “had waged for us”.

However, he maintained the decision to form an alliance between the two parties was solely up to the ‘higher-ups’.

“We will wait for directives from the NPCC,” said Vizo.

However, he claimed that 60-Pungro-Kiphire constituency is “deeply rooted with Congress”.

Vizo also maintained that he cannot speak for the NPF. However, he added, the Congress welcomes all “secular forces to fight Hindutva and protect minority religious communities”.

Also speaking to Eastern Mirror, the president of BJP Kohima district, Khrielie Üsou, said that till now PDA is continuing “its spirit of seat-sharing”.

As such, he said, the NDPP candidate for 14-Southern-Angami-I is also ‘our official candidate and we fully support him’.

Üsou expressed confidence on the PDA government and hoped that every voter will side with the ruling party.

On the allegations that BJP is promoting Hindutva, Üsou refuted, saying that “it’s just an opposition propaganda”.

“That’s an opposition voice and political propaganda,” he reiterated.

In the context of the upcoming bye-elections, he said: “Whoever maybe the candidate, he is a Christian, Naga and a local.”

Üsou pointed out that all governments function under the same Constitution.

‘During the last election, they (opposition) had confused the grassroots voters,’ Üsou said. However, such “political propaganda”, according to him, won’t be effective this time.

‘The voters are now well aware about political parties that do not propagate religious antagonism. So, BJP is nothing but just a political party,’ he said.