Nagaland Election 2023: We won’t need other parties to form next government — BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday dismissed alleged claims made by some political parties that they are part of the NDPP-BJP alliance, saying the pre-poll allies will not accept them even if they are elected in the upcoming state Assembly election.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP office in Dimapur, Deputy CM Y Patton claimed that the NDPP-BJP alliance will get majority and form the next government in Nagaland under the leadership of the incumbent Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.”

“Hopefully, we will get 40 plus and we do not need small political parties (to form next govt.),” he stated.

Maintaining that there is no issue related to seat sharing as the central leaders had decided, he appealed to all BJP ticket seekers to co-operate with the present arrangement and support the NDPP and BJP.

‘Only Modi can bring development’

Speaking at the press conference, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs, John Barla said the huge turnout at the BJP’s election campaigns “shows that the people of Nagaland have accepted Modi government” and that “only Modi can bring development to the state.”

He added that he will visit the state again under the leadership of the incumbent Chief Minister and his Deputy (after the formation of the next government) and bring development to the state.

Kohli clarifies rumours

BJP national spokesperson and in-charge of Nagaland, Nalin S Kohli said the first joint NDPP-BJP rally by BJP national president JP Nadda, Neiphiu Rio and other saffron party leaders on Tuesday sent out a clear message to certain political parties that are creating confusion between the allies about its 40:20 seat-sharing deal.

He also shared that they went to Seyochung, Noklak and Tuensang  sardar for the three NDPP-BJP candidates, and apprised them of their manifesto of ‘peace and development’.

Claiming that certain rebel candidates from other political parties were creating confusion in Noklak by saying that they are supported by the NDPP-BJP alliance, he clarified that H Haiying from BJP is the only candidate of the allies in the constituency.

He also expressed happiness over the response of the people and believes that the people of Nagaland will bless the NDPP-BJP alliance to for the new government after the election.

When asked if the demand of the Janajati Dharma-Sanskriti Suraksha Manch (JDSSM) to remove Christians from the ST list will affect Nagaland as a Christian-majority state, Kohli said he hasn’t come across the organisation or met its leaders during his 20 years with the saffron party.

“There is no such agenda at all; we are rejecting it outright,” he added.

Patton also maintained that reports of the BJP harassing Christians are just rumours and propaganda created by the opposition parties, as there is no record of the party’s involvement in such activities.