HT Bureau
KOHIMA/SHILLONG, Feb 26: Meghalaya and Nagaland are set for Assembly elections on Monday with poll officials in both the states expecting high turnouts.
The polling will be conducted between 7 am and 4 pm. Both Meghalaya and Nagaland Assembly have 60 members each. But elections will be conducted for 59 seats each in both the states.
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In Nagaland, one BJP candidate was declared elected uncontested after his opponents withdrew their nominations while in Meghalaya, elections for Sohiong Assembly constituency was postponed following the death of HDR Lyngdoh, former home minister and a candidate of United Democratic Party (UDP), recently.
More than 34 lakh electors would choose their new representatives from among 552 candidates in Meghalaya and Nagaland.
In Nagaland, 13 lakh voters will decide the electoral fate of 183 candidates, while in Meghalaya over 21 lakh voters would seal the fate of 369 candidates.
The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis. The Congress, which ruled the state till 2003 and does not have any member in the current House, has fielded 23 aspirants.
Counting of votes will be taken up on March 2.
The Akuluto seat in Zunheboto district was won uncontested by BJP nominee and sitting MLA Kazheto Kinimi.
The NDPP had allied with the BJP and formed a government in the northeastern state in 2018, with backing from the JD(U) and an Independent. In 2021, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) joined the ruling NDPP-led alliance to form an all-party government named United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
The NDPP-BJP combine is seeking a mandate for the second term, with Neiphiu Rio as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance.
The NPF, which won 26 seats in the last assembly polls, fielded candidates in 22 seats, but one of them withdrew, leaving 21 in the fray.
NPF leader Kuzholuzo Nienu has declared he is open to post-poll arrangements with other parties and candidates.
The Congress has asserted it would not align with the BJP to form the next government, but it could join any like-minded secular front.
The National People’s Party (NPP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have fielded 12 candidates each.
Newbie in Nagaland politics, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has put up as many as 16 candidates, while the Republican Party of India (Athawale) has fielded eight aspirants.
Meanwhile, more eyes will be on Meghalaya, where the main battle is likely to be between National People’s Party (NPP) and Trinamool Congress. The NPP leads the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government while TMC has, for the first time, emerged as a significant player in Meghalaya. (With inputs from PTI)
