NDPP-BJP alliance storms back with a comfortable win

Headlining these fresh faces are Nagaland’s first two women lawmakers in history, Hekani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling NDPP, who defeated the sitting MLA’s in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively.

The alliance between the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party(NDPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) returned to power in Nagaland in assembly results declared on Thursday. The alliance won 37 of the 60 assembly seats, with chief minister Neiphiu Rio set to return for a fifth term in power. This bettered the 2018 results where the alliance won 30 seats, and formed government with the help of one independent and one Janata Dal (United) MLA.

BJP leader and Nagaland deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton celebrates after the assembly election results were announced. (ANI)

In the elections that were held on February 27, the NDPP had fought from 40 seats, winning 25 of them, and the BJP fought 20 seats, winning 12. Six of the BJP victors were first time legislators, while 10 of the NDPP legislators are new entrants into the assembly. Headlining these fresh faces are Nagaland’s first two women lawmakers in history, Hekani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling NDPP, who defeated the sitting MLA’s in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively.

Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Nagaland for “blessing the alliance with another mandate to serve the state.”

“The double-engine government will keep working for the state’s progress. I laud our party workers for their hard work which ensured this result,” Modi said.

Union home minister Amit Shah said that the state had chosen peace and progress. “The duo of PM Narendra Modi and CM Neiphiu_Rio will continue to advance peace and development in the state and fulfil people’s aspirations,” Shah tweeted.

The election campaign had seen the NDPP-BJP alliance go up against a beleaguered opposition, with the NPF, the other major player in the state contesting less than half the seats.

This comes after 21 NPF MLA’s, led by former chief minister TR Zeliang had merged with the NDPP in April 2021. Zeliang won from the Peren constituency on an NDPP ticket. The NPF were reduced to two seats from the 26 they won in 2018, and the Congress drew a blank.

Rio won from his own constituency of Northern Angami II with a margin of 15,824 votes, while his brother and two-time MLA Zhaleo Rio won from Ghaspani-II. From the BJP, deputy chief minister and four-time MLA Yanthungo Patton won from Tyui while state president Temjen Imna Along retained the Alongtaki constituency.

“The NDPP-BJP alliance is one based on trust, blessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda. This is why, despite some protests by the BJP, the national party fought the elections as a junior partner, and with Neiphiu Rio as the declared chief ministerial candidate,” a senior NDPP leader said, on the condition of anonymity.

Chief minister Rio said, “Congratulations to all the winning candidates of the Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023. As we have assured the electorates, let us pursue with sincerity to fulfil our goals and vision. May God Almighty help us.”

Meanwhile, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge downplayed the loss in Nagaland as well as Meghalaya and Tripura and said, “Usually, parties from the northeast go with the central government trend.”

The results also saw a host of smaller parties register wins, with the Maharashtra based Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) winning as many as seven seats, the Meghalaya based National People’s Party (NPP) five, the Republican Party of India Athawale(RPI) and Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas winning two each.