Nagaland’s Tizit constituency is witnessing one of the interesting fights in the upcoming assembly election where a king (Angh), a minister and an engineer are pitted in a three-cornered fight.

The ‘Angh’ of Oting — Tahwang Angh is contesting assembly polls on a Naga People’s Front (NPF) ticket against the incumbent BJP MLA and cabinet minister P Paiwang Konyak. A greenhorn in politics, Congress’s T Thomas Konyak is the third contender for the seat.

The incumbent Paiwang Konyak is not leaving matters to chance as he seeks a third straight term. The 45-year-old has got the top BJP guns campaigning for him ranging from Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, among others.

BJP workers are also campaigning hard for the minister who also belongs to the lineage of traditional rulers of a tribe.

Tahwang, on the other hand, hopes to be the first from his family to win an election as his late father followed by his elder brother had contested it unsuccessfully several times.

“As a customary head, I can’t help people beyond my personal capacity. To do something good for the public, I need the government’s help and hence, I am contesting the election,” he said to PTI.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the constituency located in the eastern part of the state. Road connectivity, education, healthcare and employment opportunities are among the main concerns of people here.

Along with promising job opportunities in the state, Congress nominee Thomas Konyak is pressing for making education accessible as he recalled the struggles he had to endure to complete his studies.

“There is so much scope for employment opportunities, and income avenues by exploring the potential in the border areas. I want to work on it,” the 26-year-old engineer said.

“The youths cannot continue with their studies with so much struggle. I want education to be available for all and employment opportunities after that,” he added.

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In Headlines for Wrong Reason

This seat hit the headlines in 2021 for all the wrong reason.

On December 4, 2021, six coal miners returning from work were killed in a botched ambush by security forces at Oting village of Mon district Seven others were gunned down when angry villagers scuffled with them after discovering the bullet-riddled bodies of the labourers in an Army truck.

One security personnel were also killed in the melee.

Another civilian was killed when a mob retaliated by attacking an Assam Rifles camp in Mon town the next day.

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-With inputs from PTI

First Published:Feb 22, 2023 12:59 PM IST