Nagaland goes to polls on February 27. Neiphiu Rio, the current Chief Minister of Nagaland, is the chief ministerial face of the NDPP-BJP alliance for the 2023 Assembly polls. The NDPP and the BJP are contesting the elections in a 40:20 seat-sharing arrangement, like they did in 2018. While CM Rio will be contesting from Northern Angami II, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton from the BJP will contest from Tyui. A total of 183 candidates from 12 political parties and independents will be trying their luck in the Nagaland general election. These include 40 NDPP candidates, 20 BJP, 22 NPF, 23 Congress, 15 LJP (Ram Vilas), 12 NCP, 12 NPP, 9 RPI (Athawale), 7 JD(U), 3 RJD, 1 RPP, 1 CPI and 19 Independent candidates. The election will be held for 59 of the 60 total seats as one BJP MLA has already been elected unopposed on one seat. The history of unopposed elections in Nagaland runs deeper. In 1998, the last time the Congress formed a government in the state, Congress candidates won unopposed in 43 of the 60 constituencies in the backdrop of an election boycott call by rebel group NSCN (IM).