Nagaland election 2023: NPF compelled to set up candidates in the eastern area

Naga People’s Front (NPF) secretary general Achumbemo Kikon on January 30, 2023, affirmed that NPF being a political party will be compelled to set up candidates in the Eastern Nagaland area. 

"We respect the sentiments and aspirations of the ENPO area. We also acknowledge their effort. However, for us, we are a party that has a party set up in almost all the constituencies including the ENPO area. Therefore being a political party we will be compelled to set up candidates but definitely, we will respect the sentiments of our people from the ENPO area," said Kikon.

Further, the NPF leader also claimed that the party has discussed various issues and also examined the candidate applicants from various constituencies and has decided to study all the applicants minutely following which a final decision will be taken in a day or two.

Also Read: Former Nagaland CM demands “Frontier Nagaland” for eastern areas

Achumbemo Kikon also confirmed that by February 3, 2023, the party shall finalize the candidate list and also release the party manifesto.

While speaking on the number of candidates, the NPF secretary general said that the party had received enough applicants to field in all 60 constituencies.

"We are yet to decide on how many seats our party will contest but we are having a good number of candidates spread across the entire state of Nagaland," he added.

On the otherhand, the former chief minister of Nagaland and former governor of Maharashtra, SC Jamir has demanded for a "frontier state" for the eastern parts of Nagaland.

The statement made by the former chief minister of Nagaland has once more sparked controversy ahead of the elections for the Nagaland Assembly.

The Eastern Nagaland People's Organization (ENPO) has been calling for a frontier state for the eastern parts of Nagaland,

Jamir stated that the eastern regions require special development attention due to a lack of development in road communication, education, and healthcare systems.

Jamir stated, "The representatives of the then Tuensang Frontier Division and then Naga Hills of Assam or the 16 tribes of Nagaland, who thought of having a separate state of its own, decided on the formation of Nagaland."