The suspense surrounding the Nagaland Assembly election ended seven days after its notification, with 22 candidates filing their nomination papers on Tuesday.
The remaining aspirants have until 3 pm on Wednesday to submit their papers.
A question mark had hung over the polls after a boycott call by the Core committee of the Naga Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations, a conglomeration of tribal and civil groups, seeking final settlement of the peace process with extremist outfits. The committee was dissolved Tuesday afternoon, opening the floodgates for the candidates.
58 in NPF list
Kuzholuzo Nienu of the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) was the first to submit his papers for the Phek Assembly seat. Nicky Kire of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and N. Jacob Zhimomi of the Bharatiya Janata Party followed for Kohima Town and Ghaspani-I seats.
“By the end of the stipulated time 22 nominations were filed. We expect all the other candidates to complete the formality tomorrow,” the State’s Deputy Chief Election Commissioner N. Moa Aier told The Hindu from the State capital Kohima.
The NPF has announced the largest number of candidates – 58. The NDPP has named 38, while its ally BJP will be fielding 20.
The Congress was the last to come out with its list on Tuesday afternoon. The party has decided to contest 23 seats, most of its candidates being first-timers. The Janata Dal-United (11 candidates) and Nationalist Congress Party (6) had announced their lists late on Monday night. Among those in the fray is former bureaucrat Khekiye K. Sema, whose anti-graft organisation, Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation, had opposed the polls. Mr. Sema will be contesting the Ghaspani-II seat.
