Nagaland elections 2018: Former CM Neiphiu Rio declared winner unopposed before polls

His rival Chupfuo Angami of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) withdrew his candidature, The Indian Express reported that Angami, who was married to Rio’s late elder sister, said he had withdrawn his nomin

Former Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio was declared the winner from the Northern Angami-II Assembly constituency after his lone rival withdrew his nomination on Monday. Neiphiu Rio is the chief ministerial candidate of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP alliance.

His rival Chupfuo Angami of the Naga People's Front (NPF) withdrew his candidature, The Indian Express reported that Angami, who was married to Rio's late elder sister, said he had withdrawn his nomination as his "position was not good".

The BJP has dumped its 15-year-old alliance partner, the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) to join hands with Neiphiu Rio's NDPP. The NDPP would contest 40 of the 60 seats in the state assembly while the BJP would field candidates in the remain 20 seats.

Eleven parties including the ruling Naga People's Front on January 29 had decided not to contest the February 27 polls, agreeing to the demand of tribal bodies and civil society groups to resolve the protracted Naga political problem first.

A total of 195 candidates are in the fray for the February 27 Assembly election, after the withdrawal of nominations, as of the 257 documents submitted by 256 candidates till February 7, 32 withdrew their papers while 29 documents were declared invalid.

(With agency inputs)