Chumoukedima, Nagaland, July 2 (HBTV): The People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) has issued a joint statement asserting that the coalition is “as strong as ever” and that the government is functioning smoothly.     

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued a press release allaying speculations of a rift between the partners following the municipal elections. 

For context, the recently concluded Urban Local Body (ULB) elections saw a war of words between candidates of the NDPP and the BJP blaming each other for the alliance’s defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. This exchange had led to speculations that the alliance was disintegrating. 

“The alliance between the NDPP and the BJP is as strong as ever and the PDA government is functioning smoothly,” stated a joint press release appended by alliance leaders KG Kenye of the NDPP and Temjen Imna Along of the BJP.    

‘The alliance contested the Lok Sabha elections with a joint PDA candidate but unfortunately for the alliance, our candidate lost the elections, the results of which has been positively accepted by us with humility…’ the statement read.

Right after the Lok Sabha elections, the municipal elections were conducted. 

But the parties agreed to contest in their respective constituencies “with local understanding” for friendly contests in certain areas, the alliance said.  

‘In these areas, it was the desire of the party workers to contest the elections considering the fact that these are grassroots level elections and therefore it was agreed to have friendly contests in only three councils.’    

These contests were “friendly in nature,” the statement stated, and “have not impacted the joint teamwork of the PDA coalition in any manner.”   

The NDPP-BJP said that the state government continues to function with “cohesion and understanding under a spirit of collective teamwork and responsibility, the statement said. 

The NDPP-BJP declared that the “positive spirit of the alliance” will continue to be upheld even in the formation of the ULB across the state, where both the parties will work collectively with team spirit and unity.