Nagaland bye-election: NDPP announces its candidate for 51-Noksen after Congress opts out

51-Noksen assembly constituency has been lying vacant after Minister CM Chang of NDPP passed away last year.

Our Reporter
Dimapur, March 29 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) on Monday announced H Chuba Chang as its candidate for the upcoming bye-election to the 51-Noksen Assembly Constituency which is scheduled to be held on April 17.

The party issued its ticket to Chuba Chang, a former minister and civil servant, at a ‘felicitation-cum-ticket ceremony’ of People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) consensus candidate held at NDPP headquarters, Chümoukedima in Dimapur.

The 51-Noksen assembly constituency has been lying vacant for more than five months after Minister CM Chang of NDPP passed away on October 12, 2020.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio congratulated Chuba Chang and assured that the PDA government will continue to work together in the days to come. While informing that only one person could be chosen from five applicants who sought for NDPP ticket, he thanked the ticket seekers for their commitment to support the candidate.

Mentioning that the Congress has decided not contest in the upcoming bye-election, the chief minister said that the party will take the initiative to request Naga People’s Front (NPF) not to field its candidate, adding that “for the sake of Naga issue if, we approach I think we can reason and unitedly work towards the solution of Naga political issue”.

He stated that the NDPP was floated not long ago but it has been functioning smoothly till date.  “I am having hope that our alliance is strong with full understanding and even in future, we have hope to work together for the better of our people,” he added.

‘I hope Chang will win and contribute to the party and the alliance for the service of our people. For others who had dreams and hopes to serve our people, I have full respect for them and I trust them that they will co-operate with the party,’ he continued.

[Also read: Election cod of conduct comes into effect for by-poll]

The Deputy Chief Minister of Nagaland, Yanthungo Patton, also congratulated the candidate saying that he was the right candidate. He further appealed to all the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in the state not to go against the party.

“We are committed to the alliance party, and from the BJP workers, if anyone goes against the candidate, action will be taken against them,” he stated while appealing to other ticket seekers to support the consensus candidate by staying loyal to the party.

He also asked the NDPP to inform the state BJP if any of its workers were found going against the consensus candidate, saying that they would try to correct them and even take disciplinary action if necessary.

He urged the public not to spread rumours about the party workers and PDA government. ‘Sometimes there are little misunderstandings within the party like in families but don’t go around spreading it,’ he said.

The NDPP president and PDA Chairman, Chingwang Konyak, shared that Chuba Chang was chosen after assessing several aspects like loyalty and potential contribution to the party so that he could be of help to the party as well as the PDA government.

President of BJP and Co-Chairman of PDA Temjen Imna Along, who is also the minister of Higher Education and Tribal Affairs, congratulated the candidate and assured that ‘they stand by the same spirit of alliance they had started together.

He went on to tell the BJP workers and the Tuensang district president that “we have no different agenda other than to see the win of the PDA alliance with the ticket of NDPP”.

Chuba Chang thanked the PDA government for reposing trust in him and giving the opportunity. He assured to give his best.

The Election Commission of India had recently announced that the bye-elections to two Lok Sabha seats 14 assembly constituencies across 11 states, including Nagaland would be held on April 17. The last date of nominations is March 30, scrutiny of nominations is March 31 and withdrawal of candidatures is April 3.

The commission notified that the electoral rolls with January 1, 2021 as the qualifying date have been published for the parliamentary and assembly constituencies and that EVMs and VVPATs will be used for the bye-elections.