Kohima: Both Nagaland People Front (NPF) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), major constituents of Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) on March 2 expressed confidence to form the government with support of smaller parties and independents as the state elected its first hung Assembly in 20 years.

Out of 60 seats, results have been declared in 58 so far, with Congress clinching 21, NPF 19, BJP seven, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) two, Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) 4, Samata Party one and Independents four.

Re-polling for two Assembly segments of Longleng and Thonknyu in remote Tuesang district will be held on March 3 and counting would be held the next day.

The ruling Congress accepted the verdict of the people, but alleged that large-scale intimidation and threats to its supporters as well as voters by underground organisations, who had openly extended support to Opposition parties was the reason behind the drubbing.

Both NPF and BJP on the other hand claimed that Congress faced the debacle because of its total failure in delivering goods and its misrule during the past 10 years. "People gave an opportunity to DAN for a change in Nagaland."

Jubilant over BJP's maiden entry into the state Assembly with seven seats, party in- charge of North East V Satish told reporters it was a victory for the Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre that brought peace to Nagaland by initiating the peace process.

On formation of the government, BJP election co-ordinator Avinash Koli said the party was confident that the BJP-NPF combine would take the reins of the state and modalities of the alliance would be worked out as soon as the results of the remaining seats were known.

NPF sources said DAN with the support of the independents would stake claim very soon for forming the government, but hinted that they would not seek support from NDM, which won four seats, to achieve the majority.

NPF-BJP-Samata Party-JD-U combine have clinched 29 seats out of the 58 declared.

JD-U, which has bagged two seats, if it extends support to the alliance as per its pre-poll 'broad based alliance theory,' then DAN is just short of two seats as per the results available so far.

Asked about the chief ministerial candidate in the regional party, NPF sources said the legislature party meeting would be held after March 3 to elect its leader. This was because most of the newly elected MLAs were in their respective constituencies.

It would be preceded by a party meeting either on March 2 or March 3, the sources said.

Although BJP during the pre-poll period maintained it would not impose a chief ministerial candidate on the alliance, party sources hinted that it would claim the top slot projecting the senior-most leader and former Chief Minister Hokishe Sema.

Political observers, however, felt that the picture was hazy and the unexpected could happen as the ruling Congress had emerged as the single largest party.

PTI