GUWAHATI
Fifteen MLAs have missed out from the list of 40 candidates announced by the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), for the February 27 Assembly elections in Nagaland on Thursday.
Some of those fielded, including former Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, had switched over from the Naga People’s Front (NPF) less than a year ago.
Along with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the NDPP and NPF are allies in the Opposition-less Nagaland Assembly. But the pre-poll alliance is only between the NDPP and the BJP, the two parties having agreed to split the seats 40-20.
Apart from Mr. Zeliang, who is contesting from his pet Peren constituency, the key NDPP candidates are Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio (Northern Angami-II seat), G. Kaito Aye (Sataka) and Neiba Kronu (Pfutsero).
“Of the 15 MLAs not in the list, a majority are those who came from the NPF,” an NDPP spokesperson said.
The NDPP list includes two women— Hekani Jakhalu from the Dimapur-III constituency and Salhoutuonuo Kruse from Western Angami.
The BJP list of 20 candidates features Kahuli Sema as the lone woman. She is contesting the Atoizu constituency.