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Dimapur, Jan. 23 (EMN): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Forum, Nagaland, on Monday staged a dharna outside Hotel Saramati in Dimapur, demanding a 30:30 seat-sharing between the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP in the upcoming Assembly election.
This came days after the NDPP and BJP officially announced a 40:20 seat-sharing deal (40 seats for NDPP and 20 for BJP) following a meeting of its leaders in New Delhi.
The BJP workers along with 10 BJP intending candidates, including Tarie Zeliang from 6th Tening AC; James Yaden from 21st Tuli AC; Chuong from Mon town; Konngann former MLA, Phonching; Dr. Temsuwati from 27th AC Mokokchung; and Bitong Sangtam from 52nd Longkhim Chare took part in the dharna.
They cautioned that there will be “more problems” if their voices were not heard as they were “mentally prepared” to initiate the next course of action.
Addressing a press conference later, Hukuyi N Tessica from 34th AC Aghunato stated that the dharna was organised to condemn the 40-20 seat-sharing formula between the NDPP and BJP for the upcoming election.
He asserted that the leaders sitting in the chair might be happy but in order to bring progress and development in the state “there should always be competitive election”.
He affirmed that they are not against seat-sharing but it should be 30-30 out of the 60 assembly constituencies, citing the members had tirelessly worked for the party for years. Terming the 40-20 seat sharing deal “unacceptable”, he said the higher authorities should give privilege to other intending candidates, claiming that the party has chances of forming the next government on its own.
He appealed to the BJP national and state leaders, and the chief minister of Nagaland to “think twice, otherwise do not allow party people to work for the party in all 60 constituencies”.
Naiba Konyak, an intending candidate from 55th Tobu AC, shared that in 2018, ‘there was much difficulty in forming the alliance and the aspiring candidates were mostly from different parties, so the 40-20 (seat sharing) was reasonable then. However, they were later invited to join BJP party and have since been working hard in order to get a ticket but a different situation has cropped up due to the 40-20 seat-sharing deal’. He demanded that the party either contest from 30 or all the 60 AC.
Supo Jamir, an intending candidate from Dimapur II, claimed that under the present arrangement, the party is denied tickets where it is strong while giving tickets to those who are not even enrolled in other areas.
He maintained that seat-sharing should be either 30-30 or contest the election alone as they have enough strength.
Hukuto Khulu, an intending candidate from Dimapur III, claimed that there is no transparency in the selection of candidates. He stated that after the 2018 election, the party workers were told that whoever worked hard would get a ticket “but as the time came, they have selected ‘this and that’ which is quite unfair (sic)”.
With regard to the angry mob gathering at Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton’s residence on Sunday evening, Supo Jamir, said ‘many things happen when there is trust deficit, but everything is sorted out when there is trust in leadership’.
Maintaining that the party workers were upset by the news of 40-20 seat-sharing between the NDPP and BJP, he claimed that they could contact the leaders on phone but not in person. He said the Sunday incident was a “revelation of grief and anger”, and the anguish expressed by the party members justified.
While informing that the BJP state president and deputy CM had assured to talk with the party authorities for 30-30 seat sharing, Jamir said they have another plan if it doesn’t work.
Meanwhile, some intending candidates from the eastern Nagaland area present at the press conference said that they will be file nomination for the upcoming state election despite various apex bodies under the Eastern Nagaland People Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) threatening to take stern action against its members contesting in the poll amid ENPO’s demand for a separate state.
However, Supo Jamir maintained that the intending candidates from ENPO will decide for themselves when it comes to contesting in the election. “ENPO issue, we will leave to the wisdom of the ENPO,” he said.