Amid speculation that Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio will contest for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland would deliberate on February 19 to decide on the final candidate.
A statement issued by Chairman of DAN -- a pre-poll alliance partner of Naga People's Front (NPF), BJP and JD(U)-- Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu, who is also the President of the ruling NPF said a meeting of the Working Committee of DAN has been convened for February 19 to discuss the issue and likely to take a decision on that day itself.
On reports in a section of local media about possibilities of Rio contesting the Lok Sabha polls, Liezietsu said, "The Chief Minister and a few others have expressed their desire to contest in the elections but we are yet to decide to whom the party ticket will go."
He said the right DAN 'Consensus Candidate' would be selected to represent the Nagas in the Lok Sabha.
"We will do everything possible...," he said expressing wish to approach and request "Congress friends" to support the lone candidate who represents the Nagas as whole.
The Nagaland unit of Janata Dal (United) has clarified that the party state unit had proposed that the ruling DAN-III coalition government should nominate a JD-U candidate.
In a press release, JD-U Nagaland state unit General Secretary Lakiu Kits said the Congress-led UPA was losing ground while BJP has also lost most of its NDA allies.
