BJP backs out of joint declaration to boycott Nagaland polls

Bhartiya Janata Party has announced that it will contest the Nagaland assembly elections. BJP's state media cell convener, K James Vizo, made the announcement in Kohima yesterday. The party's decision comes after it backed out of a joint declaration signed by all parties in Nagaland to boycott the February 27 polls. 

BJP signed the joint declaration along with all the national and regional parties, on January 29, not to contest the elections in solidarity with the general call of the Naga tribal organisations and civil societies. 

But it backed out the next day stating that the final call on the election issue would be taken by its central leaders.Several political parties, including the ruling Naga People's Front, had cautioned that if the BJP decides to contest, they would follow suit. Meanwhile, no candidate of any political party or Independent filed nomination so far, for the February 27 Election. 

Additional Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland N Moa Aier



said this yesterday. The last date for nomination filing is February 7. 

A 12-hour bandh was called in Nagaland by the Core Committee of Nagaland Tribal Hohos and Civil Organisations yesterday to protest the issuance of the official notification for the Assembly election. 

The tribal bodies insisted the candidates not to file their nomination papers for the upcoming elections. The Tribal Council has appealed for a solution to the Naga political problem before the polls.

The Additional Chief Election Officer yesterday said the intending candidates were collecting the forms from the respective returning officers in and the districts, while the documents could also be downloaded from the internet.

Upholding the January 29 joint declaration of not taking part in the election, no political party in the state has issued tickets to any candidate yet. However, the BJP yesterday announced that it would contest the polls.