Rift in Nagaland BJP over seat sharing

GUWAHATI: Unhappy with the seat-sharing arrangement with the

National Democratic Progressive Party

(

NDPP

), the Nagaland unit of BJP has written to party president Amit Shah expressing its resentment and pushing for the saffron party to go it alone in the assembly election.

“The 20:40 seat-sharing pact between BJP and the NDPP for the 60-member state assembly was not justified since it was the NDPP which approached the saffron party for the formation of an alliance,” stated the letter, signed by general secretary of

Nagaland BJP

Eduzu Theluo.

The letter has state BJP president

Visasolie Lhoungu

’s name on it but not his signature.

While the newly-formed NDPP has “no roots”, “the saffron party’s prospects are getting better in Nagaland with every passing day,” the letter to Shah said.

“The Nagaland BJP has about 45 potential candidates seeking party tickets,” it added. Supporters of these potential candidates have threatened to “withdraw their allegiance” if the saffron party contests only 20 seats.