Nagaland election 2023: NPF set to issue tickets; NPCC in candidate finalisation process

With the last date of filing nominations for the upcoming state Assembly election just a few days to go, political parties are engrossed in finalising the candidates and the lists are expected to be out in the next few days. 

NPF to issue tickets tomorrow

The Naga People’s Front (NPF) is set to issue the tickets to its candidates and release the party manifesto at its Central Office in Kohima on February 3.

NPF Secretary General, Achumbemo Kikon, told Eastern Mirror that the party is yet to take the final call on the number of seats to contest in the upcoming election.

Meanwhile, he appealed to the electorates of the state to vote for the party to ‘save the people and the state from perishing’.

Kikon had earlier told this newspaper that there are aspiring candidates from almost all the Assembly constituencies in the state but the party leadership would take a call on the number seats it would contest.

AAP targets 15 seats

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is targeting 15 seats in the upcoming state election, AAP North East In-Charge Rajesh Sharma told this newspaper on Wednesday.

He said many candidates have sought the party ticket and they are currently screening for finalisation.

The tickets will be finalised in the next two to three days, he said, adding that there are “enough” candidates to fill 15 seats.

Asked whether there are women candidates, he said there are a few. ‘The candidates seeking the party ticket are a combination of seniors and youngsters. However, nothing is finalised yet and everything is in the process for now,’ he added.

The AAP challenges include screening “clean profiles” and financial conditions, said Sharma while hinting at waiting for other political parties to announce the candidates first.

He further informed that the AAP “will try” to field candidates from eastern Nagaland as well.

NPCC to finalise list in couple of days

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) will finalise the list of candidates in a couple of days, Vice President of NPCC, GK Zhimomi, told this newspaper on Wednesday.

He informed that the NPCC President is in New Delhi to finalise the candidates with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) screening committee and AICC Central Election Committee, which is expected to be done by Thursday evening.

He also maintained that the Pradesh Election Committee meeting for listing Congress ticket seekers was held at Dimapur on Tuesday evening.

Zhimomi also informed that the party will distribute tickets to the candidates by January 5.

BJP CEC holds meeting

Meanwhile, the BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) met in New Delhi on Wednesday evening for finalisation of candidates for the upcoming polls in Nagaland and Meghalaya. Central leadership led by Prime Minister Modi and BJP National President JP Nadda attended the meeting. BJP Nagaland President Temjen Imna Along and Deputy CM Y Patton also attended, as per updates.

Imna Along took to Twitter to thank the central leadership for their “trust” in BJP Nagaland but didn’t divulge any information about the outcome of the meeting.

The NDPP and BJP had earlier announced 40:20 (NDPP-40, BJP-20) seat-sharing deal for the upcoming state Assembly election. 

Thank you @narendramodi @JPNadda & all CEC Members for your trust @BJP4Nagaland. This are memories made forever to be remembered. https://t.co/Npt1Zfg6hI

— Temjen Imna Along (@AlongImna) February 1, 2023

No nomination filed on Day-2

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has informed that no candidate has filed nomination on the second day, as per the information received from the returning officers.

Filing of nominations for the Nagaland assembly election, which began on Tuesday, will be closed on February 7.

Polling is scheduled to be held on February 27 and counting of votes to be done on March 2.

Also read: LJP(RV) declares its candidate for Zunheboto AC in Nagaland Assembly election