Neiphrezo to get NPF ticket; Congress yet to decide
Principal Correspondent
Kohima, September 23
With barely three days left to file nominations for the by-election to Northern Angami-II Assembly constituency under Kohima district scheduled for October 15, three major political parties are gearing up to vie for the prestigious seat. The State unit of BJP today issued ticket to retired bureaucrat Visasolie Lhoungu for the seat at its head at Hotel Saramati in Dimapur. President Dr. M Chuba Ao, in presence of 400 party workers representing the State, district and Mandal units, handed over the party ticket to Visasolie officially. BJP leader and Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and IPR P. Paiwang Konyak was also present on the occasion.
Visasolie signed the undertaking with the party and further declared to work for the interest and welfare of the party at all levels.
Other important party leaders in attendance were Prasant Arora, general secretary (Org.) for Nagaland & Aurnanchal Pradesh , R. Sopu Angami, vice president and K. Medom Angami, National executive BJP member.
The ruling Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) would be setting up Dr Neiphrezo Keditsu, who is also the son-in-law of former Chief Minister of Nagaland and present MP Neiphiu Rio. Party sources said the ticket would be official handed over to him in NPF Central Office, Kohima tomorrow.
NPF and BJP are partners under ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government.
On the other hand, the Opposition Congress is yet to finalise on its candidate.
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) general secretary (admn) Medokul Sophie said the NPCC office bearers and Election Committee members would be holding a meeting tomorrow at Congress Bhavan, Kohima at 11 am.
The meeting is likely to discuss on whether or not to field candidate for the seat, he said adding that two candidates – Thinuosilie Mere and Sabou Sote – have applied seeking ticket to contest the by-election.
Meanwhile, State BJP general secretary and spokesperson K James Vizo said even as BJP is an alliance partner of the NPF-led DAN government in the State, it would be a friendly contest between the two in the ensuing by-election.
The last date of filing of nomination is September 27. The Northern Angami-II seat felt vacant after then Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio got elected in the Lok Sabha election in May this year.
Rio represented the seat six times from 1989 to 2013 in the Assembly.
