North-East 27-02-23: Polling for assembly elections has begun peacefully in the two northeastern states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. Polling for 59 out of 60 constituencies in both the states is going on on Monday. BJP candidate Kazeto Kinimi won unopposed from Akuluto in Nagaland; In Meghalaya, UDP candidate HDR Lyngdoh’s election has been postponed. The total number of candidates in these two states is 552. Polling started at 7 am. It will continue till 4 pm. The counting of votes will be on March 2.
Although the National People’s Party (NPP) and the BJP have been running the government together for the past five years in Meghalaya, they are fighting the polls separately this time. This is the first time that West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress has participated in the Meghalaya assembly polls. BJP is fighting with an alliance in Nagaland. The Gerua camp is fighting in alliance with the National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). Starting from the ruling party of the country, the Congress is eyeing the votes of the two relatively small states of Meghalaya and Nagaland. Because this is the last Northeastern state to vote before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. But in both these states there are national political forces as well as relevant regional parties.
