Nagaland Governor La Ganesan has extended his congratulations to the newly elected members of the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), encouraging them to serve with integrity and a vision for progress. In his message, the Governor emphasised the trust placed in these members by the citizens of Nagaland and commended the significant achievements of the women members.
The historic ULB elections, held on 26th June after a two-decade hiatus, featured a 33% reservation for women. State Election Commissioner T John Longkumer reported an impressive 81.66% voter turnout, with 184,126 registered electors casting their votes across 214 wards in 24 municipalities and town councils. The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) emerged as the dominant force, securing 153 out of the 278 contested seats.
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Governor Ganesan expressed confidence that the efforts of the newly elected members would contribute to the development and prosperity of Nagaland, fostering inclusive and sustainable growth for all communities. He urged them to serve with dedication and a clear vision for progress, anticipating the positive changes they would bring to their localities.
The Governor also praised the Nagaland State Election Commission, law enforcement agencies, and all poll-related officials for the successful and peaceful conduct of the elections. He noted that the smooth and efficient administration of the electoral process reflected their dedication, diligence, and commitment to upholding democratic values in the state.
Women candidates made a remarkable impact in these elections, with 102 out of 198 female candidates winning, including in eight unreserved wards. The youngest winner was 22-year-old Nzanrhoni I Mozhui from the BJP, while the oldest was 71-year-old Sibeule from the NPP. Yimkumba of NDPP won from Ward 12 under Dimapur Municipal Council with the largest margin of 3,344 votes, while three NDPP candidates secured their seats by a narrow margin of just one vote each.
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The NDPP’s dominance extended to all three municipal councils—Kohima, Mokokchung, and Dimapur. In the 21 town councils that went to polls, the NDPP secured majorities in most, except in Bhandari, Niuland, Phek, Pfütsero, and Chozouba. The NPF secured majorities in Bhandari and Phek, the BJP in Niuland, and independent candidates in Pfütsero and Chozouba.
In terms of party performance, the NDPP won 153 seats, followed by Independents with 56, BJP with 25, NPF with 13, NCP with 12, INC with 7, NPP with 5, JDU with 5, and LJP with 2. No elections were held in the town councils under the six districts of Eastern Nagaland.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also made notable strides, fielding 22 candidates across three districts and winning 12 seats, with five candidates elected unopposed. NCP Chief National Spokesperson Brijmohan Shrivastav highlighted the party’s growing influence and commitment to gender inclusivity, underscored by the 33% reservation for women.
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Governor La Ganesan’s message resonates with a call for integrity, dedication, and visionary leadership among the newly elected ULB members. His confidence in the elected representatives’ ability to foster inclusive and sustainable growth remains a beacon of hope for the state’s future, as they work towards bringing positive change to their localities and contributing to the overall development and prosperity of Nagaland.
