KOHIMA: All the six candidates from eastern Nagaland withdrew their nominations for the upcoming urban local body (ULB) polls scheduled for June 26, marking their solidarity with the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO)’s resolution.
The withdrawal, confirmed on Tuesday night, includes candidates from the Pungro town council in Kiphire district.
The move is in line with the ENPO’s resolution to abstain from all electoral processes as a mark of protest demanding the creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT) as assured by the Centre in December 7, last year.
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A leader of ENPO told a national newspaper that the withdrawal is a “clear demonstration” of eastern Nagaland’s commitment to abstain from participating in central and state elections “until our demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory is fulfilled”.
Leading up to the ULB polls, a total of 61 nominations were initially filed from four districts in eastern Nagaland by June 11, with no nominations from Tuensang and Noklak districts.
State-wide, 669 nominations were submitted for elections across three municipal councils and 36 town councils, reintroduced for the first time since 2004 with a 33% reservation for women.
The ENPO represents eight tribes across six districts in Eastern Nagaland including Mon, Tuensang, Longleng, Kiphire, Noklak, and Shamator.
The ENPO’s decision to abstain from the ULB polls was announced on May 15 in protest against the delayed implementation of FNT, a territorial demand crucial to the region’s identity and administrative autonomy.
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Earlier, eastern Nagaland also abstained from the April 19 Lok Sabha polls, where zero voter turnout was recorded in the region, leading to the Opposition Congress winning the lone seat from Nagaland over the ruling NDPP candidate.
Authorities continue to monitor developments closely as they navigate the implications of eastern Nagaland’s withdrawal from the electoral process, signalling ongoing challenges in addressing regional demands within the state.
