Bonus for Nagaland Congress: Three candidates win unopposed in municipal elections

Guwahati

The balance of power for the Indian National Congress in Nagaland, a state that was virtually wiped out before the April 19 Lok Sabha elections, appears to be shifting.

Three Congress candidates were elected unopposed in the Urban Local Body (ULB) polls for Tuli town council in Mokokchung district on June 15. The candidates are Imlyonen Lonkmer in ward 5, Temsmenba Imson in ward 6 and K. Imritemjen Jamil in ward 8.

Their unopposed victory follows the victory of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Visheli Jimo (Ward 1) and Kaheka Jimomi (Ward 9) in the Niuland Town Council on June 11.

The ruling National Democratic Progressive Party candidate, Sayewino Vits, was also announced as unopposed winner in the Mejiphema Municipal Council Ward 7 on June 13.

Overcoming Adversity

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has congratulated its three successful candidates, describing the unopposed victory as significant, after party candidate S. Suponmeren Jamil defied expectations to win in Nagaland’s only Lok Sabha constituency.

“We gratefully welcome the vote of confidence and look forward to many more such victories across the state in the upcoming ULB elections,” the party said in a statement on Saturday night.

A total of 669 candidates have contested in three municipal council constituencies — Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung — and 36 town council constituencies in Nagaland for the municipal elections scheduled for June 26. According to state election commission officials, 36 candidates have withdrawn their candidacy so far.

Women-only seats

The ULB elections in Nagaland are being held after a gap of two decades and are attracting attention as for the first time, 33 per cent of seats will be reserved for women. Traditional tribal and male-dominated social organisations had opposed the quota until the government persuaded them that the quota would not apply to the chairman post.

NGOs in the state have previously argued that reserving seats for women would violate Article 371A of the Constitution, which guarantees protection of Naga customary law and non-interference with traditional practices.

Eastern Boycott

Of the 36 candidates who withdrew their candidacy, 34 were from six districts in eastern Nagaland. Their withdrawal leaves only 27 candidates contesting from this part of the state. The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, which is influential in these districts, has called for a boycott of the central and state elections until the demands of the Nagaland border areas are met.

The deadline to withdraw your candidacy is June 18th.

Meanwhile, the Dimapur Naga Students Union joined the Naga Students Federation in reiterating its insistence that only Nagas belonging to the state of Nagaland should be allowed to contest in the upcoming municipal elections.

The union expressed concern over reports and complaints of non-Naga people and people of “doubtful identity” filing candidature papers for the ULB elections.