Kohima: BJP candidate S Phangnon Konyak was declared elected to the Rajya Sabha uncontested from the sole seat in Nagaland after the expiry of the deadline for the withdrawal of nomination on Thursday.
Konyak was the only candidate to file a nomination for the seat. Nagaland Returning Officer for the Biennial Election to the Council of States Khruohituonuo Rio declared Konyakj elected after the 3 PM deadline for the withdrawal of nomination passed.
Nagaland BJP nominee 44-year-old S Phangnon Konyak is the incumbent State Mahila Morcha President, Nagaland unit, hailing from Mon district.
Konyak created history in Nagaland politics as the first woman Member of Rajya Sabha from the state, after she became the second woman to enter any Parliament House after Rano M Shazia.
It was in 1977 when Rano Shaiza was elected to the Lok Sabha from Nagaland.
It may be recalled that the NDPP leader and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had earlier agreed in principle to support a BJP candidate in return for the support extended to the NDPP candidate for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
On the other hand, a senior NPF legislator had recently rebuffed rumours about NPF contemplating setting up its own candidate. The NPF legislators said that since they were now part of the UDA to form an All-Party Government in Nagaland, the party will likely go by the consensus candidate set up by the NDPP-BJP.
