Kohima: As Nagaland prepares for Assembly polls scheduled on February 27, there have been calls for clean elections. While EastMojo has earlier reported on whether the concept of a “clean election” can ever become a reality, NDPP candidate Kekhrielhoulie Yhome shared his views on why the public, and not money, should elect leaders.
During a conversation with EastMojo, Yhome, who is the Chairman of the Nagaland Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (NBOCWWB) and the NDPP candidate for the 10-Northern Angami Assembly Constituency, stated that Nagaland is currently in a situation where leaders are being elected based on money.
In the 2017 by-poll, Yhome was defeated by the former Chief Minister and President of the NPF party, Shürhozelie Liezietsu. Yhome also lost the 2018 general election to NPF MLA Khriehu Liezietsu, who is the son of Shürhozelie Liezietsu. Despite his previous defeats, Yhome is determined to win the 2023 polls against the current sitting MLA, Khriehu.
Yhome recalled the past elections and said that money has been a major factor in electing leaders. However, he believes that with the support of churches and village councils, this election season is witnessing a gradual change towards clean elections.
Based on his learnings from the past, Yhome is confident that he will secure a seat in the state Assembly this election, especially with the NDPP-BJP’s pre-poll 40-20 seat-sharing formula, which he believes will comfortably bring the alliance to power.
He shared his vision of working closely with the people, preventing the wastage of state resources, and bringing about “realistic development” for the people.
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With just days to go before the polls against Nagaland’s oldest regional political party take place, Yhome stated that for a small state like Nagaland, it would be impossible for two regional political parties to grow and coexist together.
He further added that while the NPF had its heyday, the regional party has been destroyed due to bad leadership, resulting in the emergence of the NDPP party.
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