Ahead of the Nagaland assembly polls on February 27, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Akuluto assembly constituency in Nagaland Kazheto Kinimi has won the elections uncontested.

Kazheto Kinimi was re-elected unopposed from the 31 Akuluto assembly seat after his only opponent and Congress candidate Khekashe Sumi withdrew his candidature. V. Shashank Shekhar, Chief Electoral Officer, Nagaland said that the Congress candidate of the 31 Akuluto assembly seat N. Khekashe Sumi withdrew his candidature.

February 10 was the last day of withdrawal of nominations for the assembly elections in Nagaland which will be held on February 27.

Reacting to his win, Kazheto Kinimi said, “Beyond humbled and honoured to represent the people of Akuluto 31 A/C for a second term, as unopposed. I praise Almighty God for this privilege and extend my gratitude to my supporters, wellwishers, the karyakartas of Akuluto BJP mandal and Nagaland state BJP. This Victory is a confidence of people’s faith in the dynamic leadership of our Hon’ble PM @narendramodi.”

The NDPP and BJP had contested the 2018 assembly polls in the state with a 40:20 seat ratio sharing formula and both parties are contesting this time also with the same formula.

Meanwhile, BJP national president JP Nadda is scheduled to launch the BJP manifesto for assembly elections in Nagaland and Meghalaya next week.

He will be travelling to the northeast on two different occasions next week, a senior party official confirmed.

Talking to ANI, the party official said that Nadda will be launching the party manifesto for upcoming Assembly polls in Nagaland and Meghalaya.

Nadda will be visiting Tripura to launch the party manifesto on Thursday (tomorrow) for the upcoming polls, slated to be held next week.

Since coming to power in 2014, the Narendra Modi government has had a special focus on the northeast region with their Act East policy. While the prime minister himself has made over 50 visits to the region, a huge focus has been on the development of a secure northeast.

Apart from security and law and order, the welfare of people through infrastructure, development and women are expected to be the key focus areas in the manifesto for the February 16 polls. The recognition of the indigenous tribes as well as the welfare of the tribal. The development in the Northeast continues to be dominant on the agenda of the BJP.

The northeast region has turned into a saffron belt with Assam electing the BJP twice once in 2016 followed by 2021 and then Manipur which elected the BJP government in 2017 as well as in 2022. The party is hopeful that they will be able to form the government for another consecutive term in Tripura as well.

However, in Meghalaya, the BJP is going solo after having declared that it will not form any alliance, despite the fact that currently, it holds an alliance with the National People’s Party (NPP).

In Nagaland, the BJP is fighting in an alliance with the Nephew Rio’s party Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and contesting in 20 out of 60 seats, here.