NPP to contest civic body polls in Nagaland

Dimapur: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma-led National People’s Party (NPP) will contest the upcoming urban local body elections in Nagaland.

Announcing at a press conference in Dimapur on Friday evening, NPP national secretary (org) James Sangma said the party will primarily set up candidates in the constituencies where it has legislators in the current Nagaland assembly.

The NPP has five MLAs in the state who are lending support to the Neiphiu Rio-led People’s Democratic Alliance government in Nagaland.

Sangma added that the NPP will also field candidates in other civic bodies where there is demand to set up candidates and also on the response of the people.

Asked whether the NPP will go solo in the elections, he said discussions in this regard are on.

Sangma added that the NPP’s support to the Rio government is issue-based which is to usher in development and bring change in the state.

“We do not want to be an impediment to the efforts of the Nagaland government in its development efforts and resolution of issues,” Sangma added.

Welcoming women candidates to contest the civic body polls, he, however, said allotting tickets to them would depend on the number of applications from them for the same.

Sangma added that the NPP would focus on bringing innovation and new thoughts in the management of the civic bodies of the state.

The NPP Nagaland unit president, A Nyamnyei Konyak, and other party leaders were present at the press conference.

Elections to the three municipal councils and 36 town councils in the state are slated to be held on June 26.