Kohima: A multi-cornered electoral contest is likely in the April 9 by-election to the Koridang Assembly constituency in Mokokchung district of Nagaland, with major political parties having already announced their candidates.
After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ally, the National People’s Party (NPP), the opposition Congress on Saturday announced its nominee for the crucial Assembly seat.
Congress General Secretary (Organisation), K.C. Venugopal, said in a statement that party President Mallikarjun Kharge has approved the candidature of T. Chalukumba AO as the party’s candidate for the ensuing by-election to the Koridang Assembly constituency, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
The by-election in Koridang was necessitated by the death of Imkong L. Imchen, who passed away at a private hospital in Guwahati on November 11, 2024, after a brief illness. He was 75-years-old.
Imchen was elected to the Nagaland Assembly five times from the Koridang constituency — first as an Independent in 2003, then on Naga People’s Front (NPF) tickets in 2008, 2013 and 2018, before winning on a BJP ticket in 2023.
Earlier, BJP General Secretary Arun Singh had announced that Daochier I. Imchen would be the party’s candidate for the crucial by-election.
Daochier I. Imchen, son of the late MLA Imkong L. Imchen, will be making his electoral debut from the Koridang Assembly constituency in Mokokchung district.
The Koridang seat had been represented by veteran Naga leader Imkong L. Imchen for more than 25 years.
The NPP, led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, has nominated I. Abenjang for the by-election.
A few smaller local parties are also expected to enter the fray, further intensifying the contest in the Koridang Assembly seat.
In the 2023 Assembly elections, NPF candidate Major Toshikaba (retired) had contested from the Koridang seat but lost to BJP candidate Imkong L. Imchen by a narrow margin of 276 votes.
According to a notification issued by the election authorities in Nagaland, the filing of nominations began on March 16, while the last date for submission is March 23.
Scrutiny of nominations will take place on March 24, and the final date for withdrawal of candidatures is March 26.
The results will be declared on May 4.
A total of 22,390 voters, including 11,013 women, are eligible to vote in the Koridang Assembly constituency.
(IANS)
