DIMAPUR, March 28 - The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has got a shot in the arm ahead of the by-election to the Aonglenden Assembly constituency after the National People�s Party (NPP) candidate, O Tinu Longkumer, and the Opposition Naga People�s Front (NPF) candidate, Toshipokba Longkumer, withdrew from the race and extended support to the ruling party candidate, Sharingain Longkumer.
Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Abhijit Sinha told media persons in Kohima today that NPP candidate O Tinu Longkumer and NPF candidate Toshipokba Longkumer withdrew their candidature on Thursday, the last day of withdrawal of nominations.
Sinha said the withdrawal has brought down the number of contesting candidates for the Aonglenden Assembly constituency to two. Alemjongshi Longkumer of the Indian National Congress and Sharingain Longkumer of the NDPP are in the electoral fray now.
Sinha also said eight to nine companies of security personnel have been deployed for the by-poll to the Aonglenden Assembly seat.
Meanwhile, none of the four candidates for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the State withdrew their nominations. The four candidates for the Parliamentary polls are Tokheho Yepthomi of the NDPP, KL Chishi of the Congress, Hayithung Tungoe of the National People�s Party (NNP) and Dr MM Thromwa Konyak, Independent candidate.
According to sources, NPP candidate O Tinu Longkumer has been offered the post of the chairman of the State Excise Department by the ruling NDPP, while NPF�s Toshipokba Longkumer would get the post of adviser to the Chief Minister in lieu of withdrawal of candidature and extending support to the NDPP candidate in the State by-poll.
In a release today, Toshipokba Longkumer said he had decided to withdraw his candidature for the by-election to the Aonglenden seat and extend support to NDPP candidate Sharingain Longkumer.
NPP candidate O Tinu Longkumer, in a separate press statement, said he decided to withdraw from the electoral race for the Aonglenden constituency in order to strengthen the hands of the People�s Democratic Alliance (PDA) Government in the State.
