Nagaland Election Results: BJP-NDPP alliance bags 8 seats

The ruling alliance of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won eight seats in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, as per the counting trends shared by the Election Commission (EC) at 1.25 pm on Thursday.

According to the latest counting trends, the BJP and NDPP bagged two and six seats respectively, till 1.25 pm.

The Republic Party of India (Athawale), which was leading in two seats -- Noksen and Tuensang Sadar-II in initial rounds of counting -- won both the Assembly constituencies. BJP, which had opened its account ahead of the elections after its candidate from the Akuluto seat, Kazheto Kinimi, won unopposed.

It followed up its earlier by bagging the Tuensang Sadar-I constituency on Thursday. Independent candidates Neisatuo Mero and Kevipodi Sophie also won from Pfutsero and Southern Angami-I respectively.

Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Yanthungo Patton, meanwhile, exuded confidence the ruling NDPP-BJP alliance was on course to return to power in the state with a thumping majority.

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Speaking to ANI after the early trends amid the ongoing counting of votes put the ruling alliance in a commanding lead over rival players, Patton said, "As per the latest trends, our NDPP-BJP alliance is comfortably ahead and we are on course to return to power with a thumping majority under the leadership of our CM, Nephiu Rio." CM Rio, who is also the NDPP candidate from the Northern Angami-II constituency, was leading by a margin of 15,551 votes.