Nagaland Assembly election 2023 result tomorrow, BJP-NDPP coalition eyes another term

The official results of the election will be declared on March 2, and it remains to be seen whether the exit poll predictions hold true. The new government will have to address the various demands and issues raised by different organizations and work towards the development and progress of the state.

Kohima: The Nagaland Legislative Assembly elections were held on Monday to elect 59 of 60 members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Kazheto Kinimi, BJP candidate from the Akuluto assembly constituency, had already won uncontested after his only opponent, Congress candidate Khekashe Sumi withdrew his candidature earlier this month.

The counting of the votes will take place on Thursday, March 2. The tenure of the 13th Nagaland Assembly is scheduled to end on March 12. The previous assembly elections were held in February 2018. The coalition of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the state government. NDPP supremo Neiphiu Rio became the state's Chief Minister for the fourth time in his political career. The 2018 elections saw the BJP severing ties with its local ally, Naga People's Front (NPF), to form the government, despite the NPF emerging as the single largest party.

In April 2022, 21 NPF MLAs joined the NDPP, reducing NPF's strength to 4. In November 2022, three BJP District Presidents of Kohima, Wokha, and Peren joined JD(U), causing a major jolt to BJP. BJP and NDPP announced their alliance for the 2023 polls in July 2022, and the seat-sharing formula was declared on February 2 this year.

Both BJP and NDPP announced their candidates on the same day. In a press release issued on January 22, Janata Dal (United) declared that it would not participate in any pre-poll, seat-sharing alliance with any political party. However, it would be open to a post-poll alliance with like-minded parties. JD(U) was one of the first political parties to announce their candidates for the elections on 29 January 2022.

There were several issues and demands raised by various organizations in the state. The Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) demanded a separate state or union territory for Frontier Nagaland (or Eastern Nagaland or formerly called Tuensang Division) and called for a boycott of the state assembly election. The Janata Dal (United) raised the issue of unemployment, stating that 90,000 youths in Nagaland are still unemployed.

The separatist movement in Nagaland, which started since India got its independence, remains an issue. The demand for the removal of the Centre-enforced Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 by many Naga Organizations and the imposition of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state to regulate entry of outsiders into the state, and for employment throughout the state and inter-state, were also raised.

According to most of the exit poll predictions, the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) are likely to win a second term in the state. The exit polls suggest that the BJP-NDPP alliance is tipped to win 38-48 seats out of 60 Assembly seats and retain power. The Naga People's Front is set to win between 3-8 seats, the Congress is likely to win 1-2 seats while others may bag 5-15 seats.

The official results of the election will be declared on March 2, and it remains to be seen whether the exit poll predictions hold true. The new government will have to address the various demands and issues raised by different organizations and work towards the development and progress of the state.