Nagaland Election Result: New dawn of saffron party begins as NDPP-BJP returns for second time

History was scripted in Nagaland on Thursday when the state elected its first women legislators in its 60 years of statehood. The two women lawmakers - Hekhani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) - are greenhorns in politics but defeated the sitting MLAs in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively. By virtue of the result of her constituency being declared earlier in the day, Jakhalu became the first woman MLA in the Nagaland Assembly. She defeated her nearest rival and sitting MLA Azheto Zhimomi of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) by 1,536 votes. “The victory is not mine alone, it belongs to my people who trusted me with their hopes and aspirations. I dedicate this victory to God and pledge to serve my constituents with honesty and integrity,” Jakhalu tweeted.
 

V.Shashank Shekhar, CEO Nagaland on Thursday informed that the final voting percentage was recorded at 86.72 percent. He further informed that the Nagaland CM and NDPP candidate from 11 Northern Angami, Neiphiu Rio won with a margin of 15,824 against the INC candidate.

The NDPP-BJP alliance bagged 37 seats in the 60-member Nagaland assembly, securing a straight second term in office in the northeastern state. The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP emerged victorious in 25 and 12 constituencies respectively. None of the other parties reached the double figure with the NCP and the National People's Party (NPP), winning seven and five seats respectively. While the LJP (Ram Vilas), RPI (Athawale) and the NPF equally shared six constituencies, the JD(U) got one seat. Independent candidates bagged four seats. The Congress failed to win any seat in the state and secured a vote share of 3.55 per cent.

Thanking the people of Nagaland from the “bottom of my heart” for choosing peace and progress by re-electing the PM Modi-led NDA back in power, Amit Shah said the duo of Modi and state CM Neiphiu Rio will continue to advance peace and development in the state and fulfil people's aspirations. “Congratulations to Deputy CM, Shri @YanthungoPatton, State President Shri @AlongImna, karyakartas of @BJP4Nagaland and our ally @NDPPofficial on this remarkable victory. A new dawn of prosperity begins in Nagaland,” he said.

History was scripted in Nagaland on Thursday when the state elected its first women legislators in its 60 years of statehood. The two women lawmakers - Hekhani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) are greenhorns in politics but defeated the sitting MLAs in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively. By virtue of the result of her constituency being declared earlier in the day, Jakhalu became the first woman MLA in the Nagaland Assembly. She defeated her nearest rival and sitting MLA Azheto Zhimomi of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) by 1,536 votes.
 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday gives a heartful message to the people of Nagaland for re-electing the PM Modi-led NDA back in power. 'I thank the people of Nagaland from the bottom of my heart for choosing peace and progress by re-electing the PM Modi-led NDA back in power. The duo of PM @narendramodi and CM @Neiphiu_Rio will continue to advance peace & development in the state and fulfill people’s aspirations, Shah tweeted. 

Nagaland political stalwart and its longest-serving chief minister Neiphiu Rio is set to assume office as chief minister for a fifth consecutive term after a convincing win for his party and its ally, the BJP. Together, the two parties have secured 33 seats in the 60-member Nagaland assembly. The septuagenarian leader has with this victory, broken the record of veteran leader S C Jamir, who helmed the northeastern state thrice.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday sent a heartful message for the people of Nagaland and lauded the party workers. 'I thank the people of Nagaland for blessing the @NDPPofficial-@BJP4Nagaland alliance with yet another mandate to serve the state. The double-engine government will keep working for the state's progress. I laud our party workers for their hard work which ensured this result, he tweeted. 

The ruling NDPP-BJP alliance got majority in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly by winning 34 seats on Thursday, election commission said. The NDPP-BJP had fought the elections on 40:20 seat sharing arrangement.

NDPP-BJP alliance has won 33 seats, securing the majority mark in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, says the Election Commission.

The NDPP-BJP alliance has won 15 seats in the Nagaland Assembly election and is leading in 21 constituencies, EC officials said. The alliance is all set to form the next government in the state.

Congress party opened its victory account in Nagaland after winning 1 seat so far. 

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party won 10 seats so far in the vote counting. 

As per the Election Commission report, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party won 6 seats so far.

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Yanthungo Patton on Thursday exuded confidence the ruling NDPP-BJP alliance was on course to return to power in the state with a thumping majority. Speaking to media after the early trends amid the ongoing counting of votes put the ruling alliance in a commanding lead over rival players, Patton said, "As per the latest trends, our NDPP-BJP alliance is comfortably ahead and we are on course to return to power with a thumping majority under the leadership of our CM, Nephiu Rio."

Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and Republican Party of India (Athawale) won two seats each so far. 

The ruling NDPP-BJP alliance won two seats and is leading in 30 seats in the Nagaland Assembly election, the Election Commission of India said on Thursday. The Akuluto seat has been won uncontested by BJP nominee Kazheto Kinimi while BJP candidate P Bashangmongba Chang won the Tuensang Sadar-I seat by defeating his nearest NCP rival Toyan Chang by 5,644 votes. Counting of votes for the 59 Nagaland Assembly seats started at 8 am with postal ballots followed by EVMs. As per trends available for 55 out of 60 seats, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) was ahead in 20 seats while its alliance partner the BJP was leading in 10 seats, the EC website said. The NDPP and BJP fought the election on a 40:20 seat sharing agreement. NDPP supremo and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was leading by over 6,000 votes against his nearest Indian National Congress party rival Seyievilie Sachu, it said.

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party leads with 19 seats till now. 

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leads with 17 seats in early trends of Nagaland Election Results 2023. 

The ruling NDPP-BJP alliance was ahead in 14 seats in the Nagaland Assembly election while the RPI(A) was leading in two seats, as per early trends, the Election Commission of India said on Thursday. Counting of votes started at 8 am with postal ballots. The EC said the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) was leading in 11 seats and BJP in 3. The NDPP-BJP had contested the elections on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was leading in the Northern Angami II seat over his nearest rival Seyievilie Sachu of the Indian National Congress by over 3,709 votes, the EC website said. The Republican Party of India (Athawale) was leading in two seats, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) was ahead in two and National People's Party in one. Independent were leading in two seat, JD(U) was ahead in one seat.

Bharatiya Janata Party is leading with around 49 seats in early trends of vote counting. Congress is leading with 3 seats and and NPF with seven seats. 

This is one of the four constituencies where a woman is contesting. The five candidates in the race in Dimapur III are engaged in a heated contest. NDPP candidate Hekani Jakhalu has had the backing of the ruling alliance’s dedicated campaign. Her primary opponent is incumbent MLA Azheto Zhimomi. A two-time MLA, Zhimomi was denied a candidate by the NDPP and is now contesting as a Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate. The other three candidates are Vetetso Lasuh (Congress), popular activist Kahuto Chishi (Independent), and Lun Tungnung (Independent).

The NPF, which won 26 seats in the last assembly polls, has fielded candidates in 22 seats, but one of them withdrew, leaving 21 in the fray.

The Congress, which ruled the state till 2003 and does not have any member in the current House, has fielded 23 aspirants in Nagaland Assembly Elections 2023.

The BJP’s only woman candidate, Kahuli Sema, contested from Atoizu and is being touted as a strong contender. This is significant because the state has never had a woman MLA. Sema, a former chief engineer with the Public Works Department and the third-richest candidate in the fray, is going up against Picto who has won from the constituency in the last two elections. While Picto won on an NPF ticket in 2018, he is one of the 21 MLAs who crossed over to the NDPP in 2021 but was not given a ticket by the party. He is now a candidate for the Nationalist Congress Party.

The NDPP-BJP alliance in Nagaland Tuesday welcomed the exits poll predictions which gave a second term to its incumbent government in the state and reaffirmed its commitment to run the next one together. The NDPP-BJP alliance is the only pre-poll one in the north eastern state and contested the February 27 Nagaland Assembly election on 40:20 seat sharing basis for the 60-member House. The exit polls by different agencies gave comfortable margin for the NDPP-BJP to retain power by increasing their strength in the Assembly and form the government for the second consecutive term. A total 83.63 per cent votes were cast on Monday. In 2018, the alliance had won 30 seats - 18 by the regional party and 12 by the saffron party. It managed to defeat the 15 years' reign of Naga People’s Front with the support of two MLAs of the National Peoples' Party of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, one of JD(U) and an Independent MLA.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Akuluto assembly constituency in Nagaland Kazheto Kinimi has won the elections uncontested. Kazheto Kinimi was re-elected unopposed from the 31 Akuluto assembly seat after his only opponent and Congress candidate Khekashe Sumi withdrew his candidature. V Shashank Shekhar, Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland said that the Congress candidate of the 31 Akuluto assembly seat N Khekashe Sumi withdrew his candidature. February 10 was the last day of withdrawal of nominations for the assembly elections in Nagaland.  Reacting to his win, Kazheto Kinimi said, "Beyond humbled and honoured to represent the people of Akuluto 31 A/C for a second term, as unopposed. I praise Almighty God for this privilege and extend my gratitude to my supporters, wellwishers, the karyakartas of Akuluto BJP mandal and Nagaland state BJP. This Victory is a confidence of people's faith in the dynamic leadership of our Hon'ble PM @narendramodi."

The electors included 6,47,523 male and 6,49,876 female voters, who exercised their franchise in around 2,291 polling stations.

A total of around 19 nominees contested as Independent candidates in Nagaland this year. 

The NDPP-BJP combine is seeking a mandate for the second term, with Neiphiu Rio as the chief ministerial candidate of the alliance.

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP are contesting the polls on a 40:20 seat-sharing basis.

Over 13 lakh electors voted for the electoral fate of 183 candidates in Nagaland on February 27. 

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is contesting from Northern Angami-I and as the CM candidate for the NDPP-BJP alliance, he will be eyeing the top post for the fifth term. Since 1989, Rio has won every state election he has contested from this seat. However, unlike in 2018, when he was elected after his opponent withdrew his candidature, he faced Seyievilie Sachu of the Congress in the elections this time.

Nagaland has made elaborate security arrangements with a three-tier cordoning system for counting of EVMs across the headquarters of 16 election districts. Repolling was held at 4 polling stations, which was marred by violence, killing 1 on Tuesday (February 28). Heavy security deployment at the counting centres has been made.

Nagaland went for assembly polls on February 27 (Monday) but re-polling was done in the state on March 1. 

Votes are all set to be counted and results will be out today (March 2) for Nagaland assembly elections 2023.