The Aam Aadmi Party is likely to contest all 60 seats in the Nagaland Assembly elections to be held in 2018, the Eastern Mirror reported on Tuesday. The party will start announcing candidates by the first week of January.

Addressing a press conference in Dimapur, Aam Aadmi Party Political Affairs Committee member Ashutosh said that it was time for the people of Nagaland to reject corrupt politicians and parties. “We welcome honest candidates from other political parties and women candidates,” he added.

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Ashutosh said that Nagaland was a sensitive area from the national security point of view because of its location, and so it was important to bring development to the state. “AAP is here not to do politics but to change the system by endorsing clean candidates with no criminal past,” he said.

The party said that it will focus on improving infrastructure such as roads and education, especially in medical colleges. “Nagaland is facing lots of problem where the state education system is at its worst, with poor road condition and health system,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

The announcement comes just days after almost all the Aam Aadmi Party candidates who had contested the Gujarat Assembly elections lost their deposits. The party, which had contested from 29 seats, did not win any. The Bharatiya Janata Party won 99 seats in the state Assembly polls on Monday, and the Congress bagged 77.

The Aam Aadmi Party had also lost the civic polls in Punjab on Sunday, which were swept by the Congress.