GUWAHATI: Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said that BJP and National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) will contest the forthcoming assembly polls in Nagaland as per seat sharing agreement between the two parties.
As per agreement, BJP will contest in 20 seats while NDPP will contest in 40 seats in the upcoming polls.
The seat sharing deal that the BJP and the NDPP struck earlier “cannot be altered”, says Rio.
Rio clearly stated, “There is no question of alteration in the seat sharing agreement. It was decided that the NDPP and the BJP will fight the assembly elections in Nagaland as per the 40:20 seat sharing,”.
The Nagaland chief minister further said that there would be no friendly battle in any seat between the NDPP and the BJP.
He also said that the NDPP will release its candidates list for the Nagaland assembly elections later this month.
Nagaland will go for polls on February 27 in the 60 member assembly constituency.
Counting of votes will be carried out on March 2.
The seat sharing between the two parties were finalized in New Delhi after having thorough discussion.
On the other hand, BJP supporters staged protest over the seat sharing with NDPP and the ticket issue in the state.
The Nephiu Rio-led alliance ousted the Congress party in the last elections and the NDPP president took oath as CM and BJP leader Y Patton took oath as Deputy Chief Minister.
Out of 20 seats contested, the BJP was able to win 12 in the 2018 elections.