Nagaland: BJP-NDPP Retain Power, Wins 37 Seats. Neiphiu Rio To Become CM For Record 5th Term

As per the early trends, the NDPP-BJP alliance was leading on 51 seats after one hour of counting.

Nagaland Election Results 2023: The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-Bharatiya Janata Party (NDPP-BJP) alliance has retained power in the state with 37 seats.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio won the Northern Angami-II constituency by defeating Congress candidate Seyievilie Sachu.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to thank the voters of Nagaland for the BJP-NDPP alliance's win and said, "I thank the people of Nagaland for blessing the NDPP-BJP alliance with yet another mandate to serve the state. The double engine government will keep working for the state's progress. I laud our party workers for their hardwork which ensured this result."

Following the announcement of the results of the assembly elections in Tripura, Nagaland, and Meghalaya on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated thanked the people of Nagaland for choosing "peace and progress" and called the party's re-election in Tripura a "victory of pro-development politics." 

In Nagaland, the majority was won by the BJP and its ally, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP).

He also expressed gratitude to the people of Meghalaya for their support and blessings for the BJP and stated that the party led by Prime Minister Modi will do everything in its power to serve the people and ensure that they have a bright future.

Shah wrote, "A historic day for the Northeast. I thank Tripura for placing trust in BJP once again. It is a victory of pro-development politics that the BJP has delivered in Tripura under PM @narendramodi Ji's leadership. Together we will move ahead and build a prosperous Tripura." 

The home minister thanked state BJP leadership, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and BJP president J P Nadda for their tireless efforts in ensuring the BJP's victory.

He stated, "It is evident again that for development and prosperity, BJP led by PM Modi is people's preference."

Saying thanks to individuals of Nagaland from the "lower part of my heart" for picking harmony and progress by reappointing the PM Modi-drove NDA back in power, Shah said the team of Modi and state CM Neiphiu Rio will keep on propelling harmony and improvement in the state and satisfy individuals' yearnings.

“Congratulations to Deputy CM, Shri @YanthungoPatton, State President Shri @AlongImna, karyakartas of @BJP4Nagaland and our ally @NDPPofficial on this remarkable victory. A new dawn of prosperity begins in Nagaland,” he said.

He praised the BJP's Meghalaya unit for its efforts to expand its presence in the state.

On Thursday, March 2, at 8 a.m., the Nagaland Assembly election vote count began. On February 27, the state had gone to the polls. The election saw a huge turnout of 85% of eligible voters.

In Nagaland, 59 of the 60 Assembly seats were up for grabs, and 2,351 polling stations were at stake for 183 candidates.

Early Trend

As per the early trends, the NDPP-BJP alliance was leading on 51 seats after one hour of counting.

Meanwhile, the early trends for Naga Peoples Front showed a lead on 8 seats while Congress was ahead on one seat and Independents were leading on two seats. 

In the second hour of counting, the BJP-NDPP alliance crossed the halfway mark in the state. The ruling alliance was leading with 48 seats while the opposition NPF was ahead only in 6 seats. On the other hand, Congress had finally opened its account and was leading on one seat in the state. 

Nagaland Assembly Exit Poll Prediction

The exit polls predicted the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party to win the majority seats.

As per the exit polls, the NDPP is slated to get 28-34 seats with a vote share of 33 per cent, according to India Today-My Axis. The poll also gave BJP a surprising 16 per cent vote share and 10-14 seats, possibly coming from eastern Nagaland where it focused its campaigning. Congress was predicted to get 10 per cent votes and between 1-2 seats and the rump of the Naga People's Front which remained after some 21 MLAs joined NDPP is forecast to get 13 per cent vote share and between 3-8 seats.

Times Now similarly predicted 27-33 seats for NDPP, 12-16 seats for BJP, and 4-8 seats for NPF. While Zee News-Matrize gave 35-43 to NDPP-BJP, it also predicted 2-5 seats for the NPF and 1-3 seats for the Congress.

Nagaland Assembly

In the run-up to the Nagaland Assembly Election 2023, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Kazheto Kinimi secured an uncontested win from the Akuluto assembly constituency. His only opponent, Congress candidate Khekashe Sumi, withdrew his candidature giving BJP a seat even before the counting of votes. 

Over 13 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise in the north eastern state with an 83 per cent turnout recorded, according to V Shashank Shekhar, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO). Polling took place at 2,291 stations across 59 of the total 60 constituencies. This year's turnout was 1.99 per cent lower than the 2018 poll, which recorded an 85.62 per cent voter turnout, Chief Electoral Officer said. 

Meanwhile, repolling was conducted in four polling stations in Nagaland on Wednesday. The repolling was held at the New Colony polling station in the Zunheboto constituency, Pangti V in the Sani constituency, Jaboka Village in the Tizit constituency and Pathso East Wing in the Thonoknyu constituency. Election officials in the state did not cite any reasons for the repolling in the four polling stations previously.