In a blow to the ruling alliance in the state, going into the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party leader James Kuotsu and former BJP leader Kidongam Panmei joined the Congress on Thursday in the presence of the party’s state chief S Supongmeren Jamir.

“Kidongam Panmei, former executive member of the Ex-Service Cell and former General Secretary of the ST Morcha of the BJP state unit, and James Kuotsu, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader, formally joined the Congress today in the presence of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee president S Supongmeren Jamir,” read a press statement issued by the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee.

 “Both the leaders stated that they had voluntarily decided to join the Congress party in order to strengthen our Leader Rahul Gandhi’s Pan India Movement for safeguarding the Secular and Democratic Principles in the Nation, which is at present under great threat from the PM Modi-led BJP government,” the statement added.

 “The NPCC warmly welcomes the new entrants into the party fold and wishes them well as they embark upon a new chapter in their political journey under the Progressive and Secular Ideals of the Indian National Congress,” it added.

 Polling for the lone parliamentary constituency of Nagaland is scheduled to take place on April 19. The counting of votes has been scheduled for June 4.

 The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in the state, while the Naga Peoples Front (NPF) came out victors in the 2014 polls.