Too few seats for BJP in Nagaland spark protest

The BJP in Nagaland is facing a problem with local leaders making a beeline to get party tickets for the upcoming assembly polls. Miffed supporters expressed their resentment outside the residence of deputy chief minister Y Patton.

Supporters of an aspirant BJP candidate thronged the Dimapur residence of BJP legislature party leader Y Patton and staged a protest. State BJP president Imna Along was holding a meeting with Patton when the supporters reached there. Ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP have sealed a seat-sharing deal, with NDPP set to contest 40 seats while the BJP will contest 20 seats. Polls to 60 seats will be held on February 27.

There is resentment among a section of supporters as they want the BJP to contest at least 25-30 seats. A senior leader in the state BJP, who did not want to be named, told ET, "We have conveyed the workers' resentment to the Central leadership. The workers feel that the party has built a robust organisation and it must contest more seats than the 2018 assembly polls."