Nagaland bye-election: UDA consensus candidate announced

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Oct. 7 (EMN): The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) on Thursday issued the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) ticket to S Keoshu Yimchunger for the 58-Shamator-Chessore Assembly Constituency (AC) bye-election which is scheduled to be held on October 30.

The party ticket handing over ceremony was held at the NDPP headquarters in Dimapur in the presence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF) party workers.

The working president of NDPP, Alemtemshi Jamir, said that the three parties had come together to have a consensus candidate for the 58 Shamator-Chessore AC bye-polls, which he said ‘was not easily arrived at’.

Jamir mentioned that the NDPP had a difficult time choosing a candidate since they had six applicants who came forward for the seat left vacant by the demise of its former legislator Toshi Wungtung in July this year.

He added that they decided to give the ticket to someone who had been closely associated and dedicated to the party since its inception.

NDPP president Chingwang Konyak said that things had become easier with just one person filing nomination papers and expressed hope that Yimchunger would win unopposed and serve the people of the constituency in particular and the country in general.

During the short programme, the vice president of BJP Nagaland, Hurui Zeliang, congratulated the UDA consensus candidate, saying that the party had full faith in him and the understanding would strengthen the alliance. While assuring full support on behalf of the party.

Meanwhile, senior vice president of NPF, Pusazo Luruo said that the party is committed to the peaceful solution of the Naga political issue, for which it endorsed the concept of an all-party government.

Luruo informed that the general secretary of NPF, Rukkimong, was chosen as NPF candidate for the bye-election after months of deliberation, but later decided not to contest and support the NDPP candidate. He also lauded Rukkimong readily accepting to the party’s decision.

Meanwhile, Rukkimong said that being a part of UDA, he had to follow the policy of the party and extended his support to Yimchunger.

Stating that he had sacrificed for NDPP, he expressed hope that the same gesture would be shown to the NPF in future.

Yimchunger acknowledged the confidence that the NDPP had shown towards him by bestowing him the party ticket.

The bye-election to the lone constituency will be held on October 30 and counting of votes will be done on November 2.