The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) have decided to contest the assembly elections in Nagaland in 2023 with the same seat sharing formula as in 2018.

According to a joint statement issued by the two parties, the NDPP will contest 40 seats and BJP in 20 seats.

According to the joint statement, the leadership of the two parties led by BJP President Shri JP Nadda and Chief Minister Shri Neiphiu Rio of the NDPP have mutually agreed to continue the alliance with the seat sharing in the forthcoming elections to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly of 40:20, wherein the NDPP will contest in 40 seats and the BJP will contest in 20 seats. There will be no friendly contest in any constituency.”

The BJP-NDPP alliance was formed in the year 2018. In the Assembly elections 2018 as well, the NDPP contested from 40 seats, while the BJP contested in 20 seats. The campaign was launched by PM Narendra Modi in February 2018 and the alliance came to power with a decisive mandate on March 8, 2018.

"The NDPP-BJP alliance has grown from strength to strength and continued to win the popular support of the people in the past four years having emerged victorious in elections to the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha and the Assembly bye-elections (sic)," the statement read.

The two parties will constitute a core committee to formulate the election strategy and seats. The joint statement issued on Tuesday was signed by Nalin Kohli, BJP Nagaland in-charge and NDPP general secretary Abu Mehta.