History was made in Nagaland with election of two women candidates to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly for the first time ever. They included Salhoutuonuo Kruse who won the 8Western Angami assembly constituency (AC) and Hekani Jakhalu who won the 3-Dimapur-III AC.
Both the women candidates were set up by the NDPP while another was set up by the Congress and BJP each. The two other candidates -Er Kahuli Sema of BJP and Rosy Thompson of Congress lost to their respective candidates.
Speaking to media persons shortly after her victory, Hekani Jakhalu, elected on NDPP ticket, expressed great happiness but added the winning margin was not up to her expectations. She however acknowledged that her main opponent had given a good fight. She took to tweeter, saying: “The victory is not mine alone, it belongs to my people who trusted me with their hopes and aspirations. I dedicate this victory to God and pledge to serve my constituents with honesty and integrity.”
Hekani attributed her win to her family and to NDPP for giving her the ticket by trusting her.
On her future plans, she disclosed that her first priority would be to take care of her constituency and focus on school education, healthcare and households so that no one was left behind.
Asked whether she would find it challenging to be among male legislators in the Assembly, she replied that it won’t be a challenge because Nagas had accepted women politicians. “We are all equal. We as women bring our expertise, experience and have our own assessment,” she declared.
She hoped that her victory would serve as an inspiration to many young women and things would get better not only for women, but also for the entire State.
Salhoutuonuo: Meanwhile, newly elected NDPP legislator Salhoutuonuo in a brief interaction with media persons after her victory, expressed heartfelt gratitude to all her supporters and party workers.
Salhoutuonuo had won by only seven votes but she attributed her victory to God.
Salhoutuonuo is the wife of former NDPP candidate and retired chief engineer late Kevisekho Kruse, who had also contested from the same seat in 2018 but lost to Kenizakho Nakhro of NPF.
She said her next step would be to give her best irrespective of whatever role was given to her and work tirelessly to serve her people and also help in decision-making processes of the government.