Nagaland Assembly elections | Novice Congress candidate Seyievilie Sachu to take on four-time CM Neiphiu Rio

Neiphiu Rio had won the prestigious Northern Angami seat unanimously in 2018 and will contest from the seat this time too

The Nagaland Assembly election has the promise of an interesting contest as Neiphiu Rio, the State’s longest serving Chief Minister who is looking for a record fifth term in office, will face a novice in the political arena.

The fight will be a straight one in which Congress candidate Seyievilie Sachu, for whom the February 27 poll will be his first outing in the State election, has thrown a challenge to the 72-year-old political giant.

37-year-old Sachu is upbeat about the apparent unequal contest against a man of Mr. Rio’s stature, who has been at the centre of the State’s politics for over two decades.

Mr. Rio had won the prestigious Northern Angami seat unanimously in 2018 and will contest from the seat this time too.

Asked about his decision to enter into a contest against no less a person than the Chief Minister, Mr. Sachu said many people, including own family members, were initially against it.

“They said that I cannot match Rio who is already established politically and financially,” he said.

Many people had also initially expressed scepticism that he would eventually withdraw from the contest and said that he has joined the fray for personal benefits.