Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and Rising People’s Party (RPP) have announced a coalition for the upcoming urban local body (ULB) elections scheduled on June 26. This partnership follows their previous alliance during the election for the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat, where they posed a significant challenge to the PDA’s consensus candidate.
Speaking over phone, NPCC president S Supongmeren Jamir confirmed that meetings had been held regarding the ULB elections, adding that committees had been formed at both the state and district levels, excluding the ENPO area out of respect for the public decision there to abstain from the polls.
However, he declared that if the ENPO chose to participate, the Congress was prepared to support them and contest the election. On women candidates, Jamir noted the increase in women seeking party tickets and expressed the party’s readiness to support them.
He reiterated the party’s commitment to the alliance with the RPP, adhering to the central high command’s decisions regarding partnerships with other parties in the INDIA bloc.
RPP president Joel Naga too confirmed the development, but added that candidates would be fielded wherever necessary.
NPF and NCP awaiting approval for ULB polls: Meanwhile, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state unit too have shown interest in contesting the ULB elections.
NPF Legislative Party leader Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu told Nagaland Post that while the party was likely to participate in the upcoming ULB elections, the final decision would be made after the Working Committee meeting. A circular from NPF vice president (Admn) S Akho Leyri announced that the party’s Working Committee meeting was scheduled at 11 am at the NPF Central Hq in Kohima on May 24, where all the members are expected to attend.
NCP state unit president Vanthungo Odyou also expressed the party’s willingness to contest, noting requests for tickets from various districts. He however stated that any decision regarding the ULB polls would be made only after consulting the party high command, adding that the high command would determine the number of tickets, after which the finalisation and screening process would commence.
Odyou informed this reporter that he would leave for Mumbai soon to meet the high command, expressing the hope that the high command would approve the state unit’s request to contest the ULB elections.
It may be noted that if the NPF and NCP got the approval to contest the ULB elections, it would be the fourth and fifth political party to do so amidst the parties supporting the Neiphiu Rio-led opposition-less government in the state.
On the other hand, it has been learnt that top leaders of NDPP and BJP held a closed-door meeting, with sources close to this reporter claiming that the top leaders expressed their willingness to contest the election together.
Some high-ranking party officials and party workers of both NDPP and BJP had expressed their reservations to the parties fighting the ULB elections together. However, on the other hand there were other leaders of both the parties who have been voicing out for a seat sharing arrangement.
Sources also claimed that parties within the opposition-less government too had expressed their wishes to have friendly contest in the ULB elections.
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