NDPP, NPF likely to be pitted against each other in 14-Southern Angami-1 bye-poll

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 14 (EMN): While the BJP and Congress have already announced their candidates for the bye-elections to the 60-Pungro-Kiphire assembly constituency, leading political parties are yet to make their candidates public for the 14-Southern Angami-1 constituency.

The last date for filing nominations is October 16 and the polling will take place on November 3.

A source from the BJP Nagaland unit had earlier told Eastern Mirror that it would contest from 60-Pungro-Kiphire AC, while its ally NDPP would contest from 14-Southern-Angami-1 AC.

A source from NDPP told this newspaper that meetings convened to discuss the party's candidature for the upcoming bye-polls were deferred due to issues arising out of Covid-19 and the scheduled parliamentary board meeting had to be postponed following the demise of incumbent Cabinet minister CM Chang, who belonged to the party.

However, the source informed that the NDPP will soon announce its candidate.

Meanwhile, it is speculated that the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Congress will put up a united front against the NDPP-BJP alliance for the 14-Southern Angami-1 bye-poll and the former is likely to take on the NDPP.

A source from NPF confirmed that the party will contest in the 14-Southern Angami-1 bye-poll and that it will announce its candidate very soon.

However, when asked if only NPF or Congress too will contest in the constituency, the source stated that it is not sure and will entirely depend on the outcome of their high-level meetings.