Nagaland MP, ex-CM file nominations for LS polls

Sitting Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) MP, Tokheho Yepthomi and Congress candidate K.L. Chishi on Friday filed their nominations for the lone Lok Sabha seat.

The ruling People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio that comprises the NDPP, Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United) and an Independent member, will support Yepthomi.

In 2018, Yepthomi, 66, won the by-election to the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland defeating opposition Naga People's Front candidate C. Apok Jamir by a margin of 1,73,746 votes.

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

The Congress has sought the support of the opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) to support Chishi, who had served as Nagaland Chief Minister in 1990 for 28 days.

Leader of Opposition and NPF leader, T.R. Zeilang said: "Both the Congress and the NPP have sought NPF's support but the party is yet to decide."

Chishi, 75, had quit the Bharatiya Janata Party earlier this month over the BJP-led NDA government's failure to solve the protracted Naga insurgency, unemployment and lack of development in Nagaland.

--IANS

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