Too early to reveal NDPP-BJP seat sharing for 2023 Assembly elections: Nagaland BJP President

Temjen Imna Along, the state BJP president and minister for Higher Education and Tribal Affairs, stated that it is too early to reveal seat-sharing with the NDPP for the 2023 Assembly elections. Despite the fact that the Central leadership was committed to the current alliance with the NDPP, Along stated that everything would be clear at the appropriate time.

It was also stated that the State BJP Executive meeting at IMC Hall, Dimapur, that the party and the NDPP had not yet discussed seat sharing. He believed that nothing was set in stone because the Central Leadership would make the final decision.

The ruling NDPP now has 42 legislators in the 60-member House, following the recent merger of 21 NPF legislators. As previously reported, the recent merger has added to the BJP's unease over the NDPP and BJP's pre-election seat-sharing pact of 40:20 in 2018. With the NDPP considering two independent MLAs as members, the party will have a total of 42+2=44 ticket aspirants.

The NDPP will now have to deal with all 44 claims for NDPP tickets. This would imply that the BJP will only have 12+4=16 seats.

In the meantime, while delivering the presidential address at the State BJP Executive meeting, Along urged party workers to remain steadfast, saying that the Central leadership would decide what was best for the party.

Along also urged party members to listen to the whispers of the political wind in the state and to tune their minds to the Central leadership's directives, rather than the state's directives. "We must listen to Nagaland's whispers and hear the voice of our central leaders," Along said.

Along stated that the BJP was emerging as a socially active political party, connected to the grassroots level, while carrying the visions, programs, and directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and national president JP Nadda at all levels, acknowledging the active participation of all morchas at every booth level.

He also believed that a good state government should be similar to a government in the kingdom of God, with Christian principles being followed.

The party adopted a four-point resolution at the meeting, among which the State BJP unit unanimously resolved to extend full support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP-led government and congratulate the Modi administration on its successful eight-year tenure.

The party also decided to kick off a membership drive across the state with the goal of strengthening the BJP in Nagaland at all levels. In every political aspect, the State BJP karyakartas resolutely resolved to support and abide by the directives of the Central leaders.