Nagaland to go ahead with polls amid expulsion risks

GUWAHATI: Chief minister TR Zeliang’s ruling Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) has resolved to go ahead with civic polls in Nagaland after 53 candidates, fearing excommunication by traditional bodies, withdrew their nomination last week.

Traditional NGOs in the state have opposed the civic or urban local body (ULB) polls, on February 1, because of the 33% quota provided for women. In a statement issued on Saturday, NPF working president, Apong Pongener, said his party has adopted a five-point resolution in favour of holding the polls despite statewide protests. The party also warned NPF candidates of stern disciplinary action if they withdrew their nomination papers.

The resolution came after 53 candidates withdrew, leaving 482 of them across 25 of the 32 municipal and town councils . State election officials could not confirm how many of the 188 women who filed their nomination have decided not to contest. Protests and shutdowns prevented any candidate from filing nominations in six councils while all 27 aspirants withdrew their papers in Phek district’s Pfutsero town.

“While standing by our decision to go ahead with the polls, we appeal to the Naga Hoho (apex body of 16 tribes in Nagaland) and all tribal organisations and individuals to cooperate with the democratic exercise,” an NPF spokesperson said .

As a gesture for letting the polls take place, the Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR) met Zeliang on Saturday to say it would withdraw the single leave petition it filed in Supreme Court in January 2013, demanding implementation of reservation rights in local bodies.