On the final day of withdrawal of candidature, one Independent candidate has withdrawn his nomination today, leaving a total of 188 candidates in the fray for the Nagaland State Assembly polls for which voting will be held on February 23.

Withdrawal of candidatures came to a close at 4pm on Saturday afternoon.

After the withdrawal of nomination papers today, altogether 188 candidates, including two women, remained in the fray for the February 23 Nagaland Assembly Polls.

Addressing a press conference at his office chamber Saturday evening, Chief Electoral Officer J Alam informed that on the last day of withdrawal on Saturday only one Independent candidate has withdrawn his nomination papers from Sanis Assembly Constituency under Wokha district.

All other stand-by candidates who have filed their nominations earlier stood as withdrawn at the time of Scrutiny.

Out of the total, the ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) has 60 candidates; Congress has 57, Independent 39, NCP 15, BJP 11, JD(U) 3, RJD 2 and UNDP 1.

Except for two constituencies where as many as 6 candidates will be facing the fight, majority of the constituencies will go for a straight fight between the NPF and the opposition Congress.

In just two weeks from now, over 11, 90000 electorates in Nagaland will decide the fate of the 188 candidates by exercising their franchise.

In Meghalaya, a total of 345 candidates are left in the fray for the February 23, Assembly election, after six candidates withdrew their nominations on the last day of nomination to stay away from the electoral battle on Saturday.

Earlier, four candidates were rejected by Returning Officers on the ground that their papers were not in order.

As many as 122 Independents including disgruntled ones who had been denied party tickets are left in the fray.

The Indian National Congress is left with 60 candidates in the fray including Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma and his wife, Mrs. Dekanchi D. Shira, former Chief Minister and legislator, Dr.D.D. Lapang and a host of Congress stalwarts.

Regional party of United Democratic Party (UDP) are left with 50 candidates including its Party president, legislator and former Chief Minister, Dr. Donkupar Roy.

National People’s Party will contest the electoral battle with 32 candidates mostly from Garo Hills region. BJP will contest in 13 assembly constituencies.

Meghalaya, despite being a matrilineal society, only 25 female candidates are trying their luck in the electoral battle.