KOHIMA: The newly-formed alliance of BJP and the
Nagaland Democratic
Progressive Party (NDPP) had an early breakthrough as
Neiphiu Rio, the saffron party’s most trusted ally and a possible chief ministerial candidate, won the Northern Angami-II seat unopposed.
Three-time CM Rio was declared winner after his rivals — Naga People’s Front (NPF) candidate Chupfuo Angami and Independent candidate Neiphrezo Keditsu — pulled out of the contest on the last day of withdrawal of nominations on Monday, chief electoral officer Abhijit Sinha said.
Last week, BJP had dumped its long-time partner NPF and joined hands with NDPP, formed in May last year, which Rio joined after parting ways with NPF. NPF secretary Sebastian Zumvu said its candidate Chupfuo, who was pitted against Rio, withdrew his candidature on his own.
“He has not consulted the party on his withdrawal,” he added.
Congress saw two of its candidates — T Lima Jamir from Aonglenden constituency and
Aimong Lam from Noklak constituency — withdraw their candidatures leaving the party with just 18 contenders in the election to 60 assembly seats.
