4 min readGuwahatiMar 1, 2023 10:25 PM IST
First published on: Mar 1, 2023 at 04:59 PM IST
Can the alliance of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP retain power in Nagaland? How many seats will the beleagured Naga People’s Front (NPF), ousted five years ago, get? These are the questions that will be answered as the results of the Assembly elections are declared on Thursday.
The Congress finds itself depleted and the NPF’s strength eroded over the last five years. A group of regional and non-regional parties claim that they could be potential “kingmakers” after the polls.
In the battle for 60 seats, these will be the five constituencies to watch out for:
Northern Angami-I
Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is contesting from here and as the CM candidate for the NDPP-BJP alliance, he will be eyeing the top post for the fifth term. Since 1989, Rio has won every state election he has contested from this seat. However, unlike in 2018, when he was elected after his opponent withdrew his candidature, he faced Seyievilie Sachu of the Congress in the elections this time.
Tyui
The stronghold of Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, a BJP candidate, this constituency is located in Wokha district. The elections in the constituency have always been hotly contested.This time too, Patton is engaged in a four-cornered contest with Janata Dal (United) state president Senchumo Lotha; the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) Y Kikon, and Independent candidate Hayithung Tungoe Lotha.
Phek
This contest will be crucial for the NPF, with its legislature party leader and second-in-command Kuzholuzo Azo Nienu seeking his fifth term from here. Almost all of NPF’s other prominent faces have crossed over to the NDPP and the party is only contesting 22 seats. In this scenario, Nienu’s fate will be crucial for the morale of the party. Nienu is up against the NDPP’s Kupota Khesoh and the Congress’s Zachilhu Ringa Vadeo.
Atoizu
The BJP’s only woman candidate, Kahuli Sema, will contest from here and is being touted as a strong contender. This is significant because the state has never had a woman MLA. Sema, a former chief engineer with the Public Works Department and the third-richest candidate in the fray, is going up against Picto who has won from the constituency in the last two elections. While Picto won on an NPF ticket in 2018, he is one of the 21 MLAs who crossed over to the NDPP in 2021 but was not given a ticket by the party. He is now a candidate for the Nationalist Congress Party.
Dimapur III
This is one of the four constituencies where a woman is contesting. The five candidates in the race here are engaged in a heated contest. NDPP candidate Hekani Jakhalu has had the backing of the ruling alliance’s dedicated campaign. Her primary opponent is incumbent MLA Azheto Zhimomi. A two-time MLA, Zhimomi was denied a candidate by the NDPP and is now contesting as a Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate. The other three candidates are Vetetso Lasuh (Congress), popular activist Kahuto Chishi (Independent), and Lun Tungnung (Independent).
A joint public rally of BJP-NDPP, Nagaland's ruling alliance, on February 24 in Dimapur. (Twitter: @NDPP) 
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