BJP firm on pre-poll alliance with NDPP in Nagaland, says party chief

Says BJP leadership has complete trust in the coalition

Kohima, July 19 (PTI): BJP’s Nagaland unit chief Temjen Imna Along said his party will continue its alliance with the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) for the 2023 assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Along, who is also the minister of Higher Education and Tribal Affairs, said the BJP leadership has complete trust in the coalition and the two parties will go for a pre-poll alliance.

The party’s central leadership has directed the state leaders to work as per this plan, he said.

“The pre-poll alliance will be with NDPP,” Along reaffirmed, when asked if it was working on an alliance with the Naga People’s Front (NPF).

In 2018, BJP broke its alliance with the then ruling NPF and joined hands with the newly-formed NDPP to contest the state elections.

NDPP had won 18 seats, while BJP bagged 12 seats and formed the government with the support of two NPP legislators and one JD(U) MLA. An Independent MLA also supported the government, which routed the NPF after 15 years of rule in the state.

The assembly elections are likely to be held in Nagaland early next year.