New Delhi: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been entrusted by the central BJP leadership with the responsibility to lead the poll strategy in Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Tripura. Confirming this to ETV Bharat, BJP's Meghalaya president Ernest Mawrie said that Sarma will look after the poll strategy in these three Northeastern States.
"Sarma will visit all the northeastern States very soon. He is the main person in the northeast for BJP," said Mawrie. In fact, the direction to lead the poll-bound Northeastern States was given to Sarma during the two-day-long national executive meeting of the BJP that took place in the national capital recently.
Polling in Tripura will take place on February 26 whereas Tripura and Nagaland will go to poll on February 27. Counting in all these three Stages will take place on March 2. Sarma along with Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday called on Home Minister Amit Shah over the seat-sharing issue in the State.
"Seat sharing issue in Nagaland is over," informed Sarma after meeting Shah. Although he did not elaborate on the number of seats BJP will contest in Nagaland, sources told this correspondent that the BJP's ally National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) will contest in majority of the seats.
As per the understanding, according to the sources, of the total 60 seats, NDPP will contest 40 seats and BJP will contest 20 seats. Before meeting Home Minister Shah, both the Chief Ministers had a one-to-one meeting at Delhi's Assam House on Wednesday over the seat-sharing issue.
NDPP is a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) in Nagaland. Speaking about the the Meghalaya election strategy, Sarma who is also the NEDA convenor said that his party will contest alone in the State.
"There will be no understanding among the NEDA constituent in Meghalaya. Our party will contest alone in the State," said Sarma. The National People's Party (NPP) which is leading the ruling coalition in Meghalaya is a NEDA constituent in the State.
In Tripura too, BJP is all set to go alone. "None of the parties in Tripura, including Twipra Motha, is a constituent of NEDA," clarified Sarma indicating that there will be no poll alliance in the State.
