In the Nagaland election, political parties in the fray for the 60 seats are BJP (20), CPI (1) , INC (23), NCP (12), NPP (12), NDPP (40), NPF (22), RPP (1), JD (U) 7, LJP (RV) 15, RPI (Athawale) 9, RJD (3), and Independent (19).
By Imna Longchar, TFM Nagaland Correspondent
Following announcement by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on the 14th Ngaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) election due on February 27, a total of 184 candidates are in the fray out of the 225 nominated candidates from which 25 were rejected and 200 nominees were found to be valid.
The highest numbers of contesting candidates (six each) are from 6 Tenning A/C, 39 Sanis A/C, and 45 Tehok A/C.
The other political parties in the fray for the 60 seats are BJP (20), CPI (1)iINC, INC (23), NCP (12), NPP (12), NDPP (40), NPF (22), RPP (1), JD (U) 7, LJP (RV) 15, RPI (Athawale) 9, RJD (3), and Independent (19).
Meanwhile, at Indesen ground in Dimapur, a rally comprising seven villages of Dimapur-II A/C was organized on Tuesday to declare support to its candidature, Moatoshi Longkumer, who will be contesting from NDPP ticket. Longkumer, the sitting MLA, while addressing to his supporters, voiced out for his mission in developing his constituency in particular and Dimapur in general.
Empowering youth is his priorities and, he said his vision is to empower the youth by providing them self-employment opportunities by imparting skill development training, promote sports by organising tournaments and providing sports scholarship, make Dimapur a clean and environmentally livable city by planting trees, hold monthly ‘town hall meeting’ with the citizens of the constituency to discuss ways and means to resolve issues, fight drug menace by forming village or colony watchdog groups, provide sustainable livelihood where all the communities could co-exist together with mutual respect for each other, among others, if he gets elected.
Moatoshi Longkumer on the other hand pointed out that Nagaland had earned the “dubious distinction” of having the highest number unemployed educated youth in the country for which he felt the youth might take up” arms” if the problem persists.
Another problem he cited which need to be curbed at this very juncture is the drug menace among the youth.
He said no law enforcement agency can control it unless the public is involved as “we know what our neighbor is cooking in his house”.
Longkumer, who was first elected to the Nagaland assembly in the 2018 on an NPF ticket but joined the ruling NDPP in 2021, said he could not take up much development works and could not help anyone in as he was in the opposition as he was in the opposition for most part of his tenure. He hoped that since he got the ruling party ticket this time, he will be able to make his visions for the constituency a realty. He appealed to the voters of the constituency to walk together and join hands to march forward.
Longkumer also expressed gratitude to Supu Jamir who filed his nomination as an Independent candidate from the constituency but withdrew on the last day of withdrawal of nominations on February 10 to work together for a better future for the denizens of the seat.