NEW DELHI, Jan 28 ? Bickering over the seat sharing arrangements among the non-Congress and non-Left parties in Nagaland continues, with the BJP yet undecided on joining the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN). The party is likely to take a final decision at the meeting of its Central election Commission (CEC) here tomorrow.
Announcing this, national president of the BJP, M Venkhaiah Naidu said that the CEC meeting would also finalise its poll strategy as well as its list of candidates in all the four States going to polls next month. Even as the BJP bargains for few seats in Nagaland, other NDA member-party including the Samata Party besides, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is all set to announce formation of DAN at a public rally on Thursday. The proposed alliance would be joint formation of non-Congress and non-Left parties and senior leaders of the NDA like George Fernandes Defence Minister and P A Sangma of NCP are scheduled to attend the rally.
The BJP, meanwhile is in two minds, its State unit leadership are bargaining for 30 seats, while the main constituent of DAN. Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF) are willing to concede less. The BJP has senior leaders like three times Chief Minister, Hokishe Sema, who is one of the convenor of the opposition alliance. The BJP, meanwhile, appointed a new president of its Nagaland State unit, Mozamo Ngullie following resignation by Dr Resto. A senior Congress leader eight times MLA, T A Ngulilie also joined the party. Another member Ado Yeptom has been appointed as party general secretary.
Meanwhile, Sri Naidu united at an alliance between the Trinamool Congress and BJP in Tripura. The BJP in principle has decided to have an alliance with Trinamool Congress in Tripura, he said, adding that one round of informal discussions with Mamata Banerjee was already held. The State unit of BJP has been asked to hold discussions with the Trinamool Congress leaders to finalise the seat sharing arrangement and report back to the party, Sri Naidu said.
The BJP is also undecided don poll strategy to fight the Meghalaya Assembly election. A final decision on the number of seats to be contested would be taken at the meeting tomorrow, the party president said. Barring Himachal Pradesh, the BJP does not have much of a stake in the three States in the North-East, though the party president had earlier said that it would be his endeavour to open account in the North East States of Nagaland and Tripura. The party already has three members in Meghalaya Assembly.