Nagaland Assembly Polls 2023: the kingmakers and deal-breakers

It's election season in Nagaland with a total of 183 candidates in the fray for 60 assembly seats.

While national parties like Congress and BJP do have a presence in the state, they usually play sidekick to regional parties which enjoy a stronger hold among the masses.

National Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)

NDPP, which was formed shortly before the 2018 assembly polls, went on to form government in the state along with the BJP as its ally.

Nagaland's chief minister and NDPP chief Neiphiu Rio's alliance with the BJP thwarted the single largest party in 2018 polls, the Naga People’s Front (NPF), which is also Rio's erstwhile party.

Naga People’s Front (NPF)

Naga People's Front, which was the oldest ally of BJP in the state, until Rio's NDPP came into the scene, has Shurhozelie Liezietsu at its helm of affairs.

NPF ruled Nagaland for 15 years, from 2003 until 2018, with BJP as its partner. NPF, despite emerging as the single largest party in 2018 polls with 26 MLAs, had to settle as opposition in the state because BJP decided to join hands with the NDPP.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)

While BJP is in power in the state with an alliance with NDPP, it plays a secondary player with Neiphiu Rio being at the helm of affairs in the state.

The saffron party has once again decided to come together with NDPP for the current polls.

Indian National Congress (INC)

While Congress contested polls for Nagaland in 2018, it failed to open its account and win even a single seat.

It will be interesting to see whether the grand old party is able to improve its poll performance this time around.

The fate of the parties will be sealed on February 27 while the results will be declared on March 2.