KOHIMA: Ahead of the Nagaland assembly elections, the BJP today announced that it would contest the polls in alliance with the newly formed National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) led by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio.
NDPP will contest 40 of the 60 assembly seats, and the BJP will field its candidates on 20 seats. Nagaland votes on February 27.
Rijiju said, “NDPP and BJP are going to have absolute majority. So there is no need for speculation”.
The NDPP is led by former chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who was earlier a part of the Naga People’s Front.
Soon after the alliance was announced, the BJP on Saturday released the names of its 20 candidates.
Naga rebel groups have been fighting for Nagalim or Greater Nagaland. The Centre has been in talks with NSCN(IM), the largest Naga rebel group, since 1997.
Rio appealed to the people of Nagaland to support the democratic process so that the “governance system can be restored and corruption kept in check.” He said: “We will never come in the way of a solution that is honourable.”
Meanwhile, no nomination was filed for the fourth successive day in the State. The last day of filing papers is February 7.
Polling in Tripura will take place on February 18 and Meghalaya and Nagaland on February 27.
The results for all the three northeastern states will be declared on March 3.
The terms of Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura assemblies will end on March 6, March 13 and March 14 respectively. All the three states have 60 seats each.
