7 NPF MLAs back Nagaland coalition candidate for LS

Seven Opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) legislators on Monday extended support to sitting Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) MP Tokheho Yepthomi who is seeking a re-election from the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland.

The seven NPF legislators -- Kejong Chang, E.E. Pangteang, Eshak Konyak, C.L. John, B.S. Nganlang, N. Thongwang Konyak and Toyang Chang -- met Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to affirm their support for Yepthomi.

Yepthomi is the consensus candidate of the ruling NDPP-led People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), which comprises the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Janata Dal (United) and an Independent member.

The Congress had sought NPF's support for K.L. Chishi who had served as the Chief Minister for 28 days in 1990.

The NPF, the main Opposition in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, has not fielded anyone for the April 11 Lok Sabha polls.

"Supporting the Congress is against the principle of regionalism. The absence of a NPF candidate in the Lok Sabha elections has necessitated our decision to extend cooperation and support to the PDA consensus candidate and the PDA government," said an NPF legislator.

The Indian Christian Secular Party has fielded M.M. Thromwa Konyak for the seat.

The National People's Party (NPP), which suffered a major setback when its two legislators joined the NDPP, has fielded Hayithung Tungoe who quit the BJP over the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

In 2018, Yepthomi, 66, won the by-election to the seat defeating NPF candidate C. Apok Kamir by 1,73,746 votes.

The by-election was necessitated after Neiphiu Rio quit the Lok Sabha and successfully contested the elections to the Assembly.

--IANS

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