Nagaland Congress's complaint against BJP for 'coercing' nominee to withdraw from municipal polls

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) filed a complaint against BJP MLA H Tovihoto Ayemi for "coercing" Congress candidate Kanili Kinilimi from Ward 7, to withdraw her candidacy from the upcoming Dimapur Municipal Council polls in exchange for a Nominated Member berth.

In its complaint, the Congress said, "The NPCC is utterly shocked to learn from the candidate herself on June 17 that she had been lured into withdrawing her candidature from the upcoming ULB with the promise of offering a nominated seat to the Dimapur Municpal council, BJP MLA and Advisor Department of Tribal Affairs and Election by Tovihoto Ayemi."

The complaint also mentioned that "an audio-visual clip of the candidate's confession has also been reported on June 17."

The NPCC earlier today issued a statement expressing strong disapproval of what it described as "undemocratic practices" aimed at subverting the will of the people.

"Such blatant abuse of power should not be tolerated and must be denounced in the strongest possible terms by all right-thinking citizens," the statement read.

The NPCC has called upon the State Election Commission and the Government of Nagaland to take the matter seriously, urging them to initiate prompt action to deliver justice.

They emphasised the need to restore the confidence of the electorate in the affected ward and the state at large.

The NPCC's strong stance underscores the ongoing political tensions and the need for fair electoral practices as the Dimapur Municipal Council Polls approach.