Nagaland: Tapi bye-election set for ‘straight’ contest between NDPP & INC

October 25, 2023 21 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 25

The bye-election to the 43 Tapi Assembly Constituency (AC) on November 7 will witness a ‘straight’ contest. Only two parties—the ruling NDPP and Congress have fielded candidates for the 43 Tapi seat, which fell vacant after the demise of the veteran regionalist, Noke Wangnao, in August, this year.

The last date of withdrawal of candidature came to a close on October 23.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is fielding Wangpang Konyak, considered a protégé of the previous incumbent, Noke, who held the seat for nine terms—1974, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1989, 2003, 2013, 2018, and 2023.

The Indian National Congress’ (INC) Wanglem Konyak contested as a Naga People’s Front (NPF) candidate during the general elections to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly held on February 27, this year.

The 42-year-old Wanglem nearly dislodged Noke from his home turf and lost the election by a mere 82 votes, with 39.5% of the vote share, against the latter’s 40.1%.

However, the 39-year-old Wangpang can be seen as the consensus candidate for the ruling BJP-NDPP’s People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) in Nagaland, making the task more formidable, this time around.

“We are fully committed to upholding the alliance spirit…extending our full support to the candidature of NDPP for the upcoming bye-election in 2023,” Nagaland Bharatiya Janata Party President Benjamin Yepthomi has stated, when the NDPP announced Wangpang’s candidature.

On October 17, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Nagaland State, also resolved to extend support to the NDPP’s official candidate.

Currently, the NDPP-BJP alliance holds 36 seats in the 60-member Nagaland Legislative Assembly, while the INC has failed to secure any seats in the last two assembly elections.

The bye-election for the 43rd Tapi AC is scheduled to be held on November 7, and the results will be declared on December 3.