Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 20
The upcoming bye-election to the 28 Koridang (ST) Assembly Constituency in Nagaland, scheduled for April 9, is shaping up to be a three-cornered contest so far, with the National People’s Party (NPP) entering the fray amid apparent ‘internal dissent’ within its State unit.
According to an official notification issued by the NPP Headquarters, Shillong on March 19, the party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) selected I Abenjang as its candidate for the Koridang AC in the Nagaland bye-election.
However, addressing a press conference at the party’s Dimapur office, MLA and party president Nyamnei Konyak, along with other legislators, expressed reservations over the announcement, stating that it was made without adequate consultation with the State unit, and pointed to the prevailing oppositionless political arrangement in Nagaland, maintaining that the party should have refrained from fielding a candidate in keeping with that understanding.
It was further allegation of procedural lapses, stating that established norms such as recommendations from district and State units, were not followed prior to the CEC’s decision.
They informed that the State unit would be taking up the matter with the central leadership, seeking reconsideration of the candidature, and indicated that they may not support or campaign for the declared candidate if the decision is not reversed.
Despite the dissent, the party’s central leadership moved ahead with formalising the candidature. Late on March 20, NPP National Vice President Vevoyi Wideo and National NPYF President Nickey Nongkhlaw handed over the party ticket to I Abenjang in Dimapur, signalling the party’s decision to remain in the contest.
A source informed that the national party leadership has decided to contest and has allotted the party ticket.
It remains to be seen whether this will lead to a fissure within the party or be resolved in the coming days.
With this development, the April 9 bye-election is set to witness a more competitive multi-cornered contest, although the final line-up will be clearer after the close of nominations.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already announced 35-year-old Daochier I Imchen as its candidate and formally handed him the ticket on March 19. He is the consensus candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) in Nagaland, comprising the BJP and the Naga People’s Front.
Daochier is the youngest son of late Imkong L Imchen, a five-time legislator who last won the seat on a BJP ticket in 2023. He was serving as Advisor for Information & Public Relations and Soil & Water Conservation at the time of his demise on November 11, 2025, which necessitated the upcoming bye-election.
Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress is yet to finalise its candidate, though a senior party leader informed The Morung Express on Thursday that there are applicants or potential candidates and a final decision is expected on Saturday.
The Congress currently has no representation in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, while the BJP has 11 members and the NPP has five.
With the last date for filing nominations scheduled on March 23, it remains unclear whether more candidates will join the fray. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 26.
