Nagaland: It’s NDPP vs NPF for 14-Southern Angami-I seat

Our Correspondents
Kohima, Oct. 15 (EMN): Arch-rivals Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Naga People’s Front (NPF) will be going head-to-head in the bye-election to 14-Southern Angami-I assembly constituency with their announcement of respective candidates on Thursday.

The bye-poll is scheduled for November 3.

The ruling NDPP has decided to field Medo Yhokha, who hails from Kigwema village. The party issued the ticket to Yhokha on Thursday at the NDDP region office in Kohima.

He was the PRO to former NLA Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshü, whose unfortunate demise in December last year had necessitated the bye-poll.     

Yhokha thanked the party leaders for placing their trust and confidence in him. ‘I take this time to make my commitment and to affirm that I will be faithful and uphold the principle and ideologies of the government,’ he stated.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio shared that all the aspirants, who had applied for NDPP ticket, were young and energetic, and it was difficult to choose among them.

He congratulated Yhokha for getting the ticket and urged him to work hard and serve the people. To those aspirants who did not get the ticket, the chief minister said: “Even if it is not today, you may get another opportunity tomorrow.”

Abu Metha, the general secretary of NDPP, also said that all the candidates who applied were capable and highly qualified and deserving to be leaders, but as they can give the ticket to only one person, the party constituted a fact-finding committee with three members and ‘they were made to interact with all the sections, talk to the grassroots, speak to the party organisations and meet with various party leaders’.

It is on the basis of their report and recommendations that the party has come to a decision to give the ticket to Yhokha, he informed.

Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton also congratulated the candidate and appealed to all the members of NDPP and BJP to work wholeheartedly “for our alliance candidate”. He assured all necessary assistance and service.

The president of BJP Nagaland and co-chairman of People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA), Temjen Imna Along, shared that the PDA is becoming stronger with every passing day. 

“We have to work hard and make sure it is a decisive victory at least for our late Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshű, so that he can also be happy in heaven,” he said.

Chingwang Konyak, the president of NDPP and PDA chairman, congratulated Yhokha and urged those who did not get the ticket not to be discouraged.

Meanwhile, opposition NPF announced Kikovi Kirha as its candidate for the bye-elections to 14-Southern Angami-I assembly constituency.

A press release from the party informed that Kirha, who hails from Jakhama village, was given the ticket at the party’s central office in Kohima by NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu.

“Kikovi Kirha is a longstanding party member and is currently serving as secretary, central office bearers, NPF. The party wishes him the best in the upcoming election,” it stated.

The bye-elections to 14-Southern Angami-I and 60-Pungro-Kiphire assembly constituencies are being held to fill the seats left vacant after the demise of the then NLA Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshü (NDPP) and T Torechu (NPF).

Undecided on Pungro-Kiphire

The opposition NPF is yet to decide on a candidate for the 60-Pungro-Kiphire bye-poll. On October 12, Liezietsu had informed that the party’s working committee had tasked the search committee with recommending the candidate.

When contacted, the NPF chief told Eastern Mirror on Thursday that they are yet to pick the name.

“As of now we are unable to decide, so we will have to wait till tomorrow (October 16) morning,” he said.