Guwahati: The convener of North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma 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 on Thursday at Niathu resort in Chumukeidma.
This occurs before the northeastern state’s next assembly elections. The meeting was about the poll plan, the Nagaland chief minister said in a statement to media.
Neiphiu Rio said, “The campaign is on so we have to take strategies and we will have a joint meeting.”
The two parties had decided to divide seats 40:20 in an earlier meeting between the NDPP and BJP held in the capital.
Rio added that there would be no conflict between the two parties on the distribution of seats 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 made the risky decision to run six fresh candidates in the next assembly elections.
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.
Other than them, some of the others running on a BJP banner are people who recently defected to the saffron party in Nagaland.