Out of Aboi emerges first Konyak lady to contest in polls

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Feb. 1 : As the prospect of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections being deferred dims, major political parties are gearing up to send their representatives for the polls which has been scheduled to be conducted on Feb. 27.
Awan Konyak, daughter of the late Nyeiwang Konyak is the first Konyak woman to be contesting in the elections, and seeking to represent the 47th Aboi assembly constituency in Mon district. Former minister the late Nyeiwang Konyak lost to Eshak Konyak in the 2013 elections from said constituency by a margin of 693 votes.
This year Awan Konyak will be contesting against Eshak Konyak, the sitting member of the legislative assembly.
Speaking briefly to Eastern Mirror Awan Konyak said that the reason for her ‘sudden decision’ to contest in this year’s elections was due to her father’s old age even though he was initially going to contest. “The best is yet to come for the youth and women of Nagaland,” said Awan.
From the first assembly elections in 1964 till the one in 2013, no woman has proven victorious. The elections in 2013 had Rakhila Lakiumong, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) candidate from Tuensang Sadar-II, and Dr Yangerla, an independent nominee from Mokokchung town, lost to their male counter parts.
With more than a handful of women contesting since the first assembly elections till date, Awan Konyak will be the institutional ice-breaker if she wins.