Nagaland BJP in a fix; ticket aspirants much higher than seat sharing formula agreed with ally NDPP

Situation within BJP has become problematic as the party faces hordes of angry supporters of unsuccessful ticket aspirants

With some sitting NDPP legislators and former candidates of various parties making beeline for the BJP, the party finds itself on a sticky spot in Nagaland as ticket aspirants are hell-bent on getting into the fray. If BJP gives tickets to all who have joined the party recently hoping for a ticket and all the other aspirants and existing MLAs, the party would cross the seat-sharing formula agreed upon with its ally NDPP recently in New Delhi for the upcoming polls.
The BJP national high command and NDPP have finalised the seat sharing formula as 20 for BJP and 40 for NDPP for the 2023 election. The BJP high command has not accepted demand by some state BJP leaders for either 25 (BJP) and 35 (NDPP) or 30-30 for the 2023 polls.
The situation within BJP has become problematic as the party faces hordes of angry supporters of unsuccessful ticket aspirants and also those who fought on BJP ticket being denied the seat.
On Sunday, supporters of one BJP intending candidate thronged the Dimapur resident of BJP legislature party leader and deputy chief minister Y. Patton and staged a protest. They were demanding ticket for their candidate. It was reported that at that time, state BJP president Imna Along was holding a meeting with Patton when the angry supporters of the aspirant barged into the compound.
When contacted a senior BJP party functionary explained that tickets will be issued and finalised likely within this week. The state BJP functionary also admitted that there has been resentment within the party but as a national party all party members have to listen to the national BJP high command.
What has added to the problems within BJP is that of a disconnect between the two top leaders- the state unit president and the legislature party leader over various issues.
The speculation that several ‘winnable BJP candidates’ who are being denied either party ticket or contesting their seat has created a serious problem.
The pressure from ticket aspirants is not only the problem that the state BJP is confronted with but also the possibility that some seats which the BJP was likely to win, could be given to the ally, NDPP and some seats currently held by sitting NDPP could be given to BJP.
Problem mounted for BJP when it was largely speculated on social media on January 20 that as per seat sharing arrangement in Delhi, NDPP and state BJP delegations in presence of union home minister Amit Shah and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, had more or less allotted the 13 Pughoboto assembly constituency to sitting NDPP legislator (who won as NPF and then joined NDPP) Y. Vikheho Swu.
Supporters of BJP candidate in 2018 Dr. Sukhato A. Sema, who lost by 70 votes, have refused to budge since the seat was allotted to BJP in 2018 and with the wind blowing in favour of their candidate, the BJP under Pughoboto is determined to fight it out.
There are also speculations that several aspirants who are denied tickets by several parties could come together strategically and forge a unity under one banner.

Also Read : Big setback for NDPP: Imkong L Imchen resigns, to contest upcoming polls on BJP ticket

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