Nagaland election 2023: NDPP agrees to part with 4 urban seats to ally BJP

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has agreed to part with four urban seats for the coming Nagaland Assembly elections to its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as part of the seat-sharing deal during a meeting in New Delhi, sources said here on Saturday.

The NDPP and the BJP had contested the 2018 elections with a 40:20 seat-sharing formula and the alliance partners have decided to continue with it, though a number of leaders from both parties demanded a change in that.

NDPP sources said that the BJP sought four urban seats – Kohima Town, Mon Town, Tuensang Sadar-II and Wokha in its share of 20, which Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio accepted making the deal final.

State BJP leaders confirmed the development.

In the 2018 polls, NDPP candidate Dr. Neikiesalie Kire won from Kohima Town. However, the alliance lost the other three seats to NPF contestants.

Later, the three NPF legislators and 18 others joined NDPP, doubling the party’s strength in the assembly from 21 to 42.

Party insiders said that Kire is unwilling to leave the seat while talks are on to convince him.

Details of other constituencies shared between the two could not be known immediately.

Filing of nominations for the February 27 election will start on January 31 and will continue till February 7. Counting of votes will take place on March 2.