The convener of North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday held a crucial meeting with his Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton and the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Nagaland President Temjen Imna Along at Niathu resort in Chumukeidma.
This comes ahead of the assembly elections in the northeastern state. Speaking afterwards, the Nagaland CM told reporters that the meeting was over the poll strategy.
Neiphiu Rio said, “The campaign is on so we have to take strategies and we will have a joint meeting.”
The two parties had agreed on sharing seats in the ratio 40:20 in an earlier meeting held in the national capital between NDPP and BJP.
Moreover, Rio said that there would be no battle between the two parties over seat sharing in the state. He also stated that the NDPP candidate list will be released later in the month.
The Nagaland CM said, “I expect it will be unveiled this month. There will be no friendly competition. In terms of seat sharing, we will back the BJP in their seat, and they will back us in ours.”
On the other hand, the BJP has decided to risk it by fielding six new faces to contest in the assembly polls for the first time.
The candidates are Bashangmongba from Tuensang Sadar 1, Kahuli Sema from Atoizu, Konngam Konyak from Phomching, Panjung Jamir from Tuli, Renbonthung from Wokha, and Sethrongkyu Sangtam from Longkhim Chare.
Apart from them, some of the other candidates who will be contesting on a BJP ticket are those who have recently jumped ship and joined the saffron party in Nagaland.
