Thirty-five-year-old Daochier I Imchen of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the 28 Koridang Assembly Constituency in the by-election, with a decisive margin of 3123 votes.
According to official results, Imchen secured a total of 7317 votes.
Imchen will be the youngest elected member of the NLA.
Independent candidate Major Toshikaba (Retd) finished second with 4,194 votes, while another Independent, Imtiwapang, polled 3,633 votes. Abenjang of the National People’s Party (NPP) secured 3,219 votes.
Independent candidate Imchatoba Imchen received 147 votes, and T Chalukumba Ao of the Indian National Congress (INC) polled 144 votes. None of the Above (NOTA) accounted for 48 votes.
A total of 345 postal ballots were recorded, of which 43 were rejected. Daochier I. Imchen secured 153 votes from the postal ballots.
A total of 22,506 electors were registered in the constituency. Altogether 18,745 votes were cast in the election.
The bye-election was necessitated following the demise of sitting BJP MLA Imkong L Imchen in November last year. Polling was peacefully conducted on April 9 and witnessed a strong voter turnout of over 82.21%, indicating an active public engagement in the democratic process.
At the culmination of the day’s proceedings, Daochier I Imchen received the Certificate of Election from the Returning Officer, Nockpai Konyak SDO(C), at the Mokokchung DC office.
Daochier Imchen pledges responsible leadership, focus on youth and unity
Newly elected MLA of 29 Koridang ST Assembly Constituency, Daochier I Imchen, expressed gratitude to the people of Koridang for their mandate, stating that the victory carries a deep sense of responsibility rather than celebration.
Thanking God and the electorate, Imchen acknowledged the continued support shown to his family, particularly recalling the long association voters had with his late father since 2003. He said the mandate reflects that trust, adding that he stands committed to living up to those expectations.
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Describing the margin of victory as significant, he maintained that it should be viewed as a “responsibility to serve all sections of the constituency, including those who did not support him.” He emphasized that his role would be to represent the entire Koridang constituency and work towards gaining the confidence of every voter.
Calling for collective progress, Imchen also extended an inclusive note to his fellow candidates: Imtiwapang (Independent), Toshikaba (Independent), I Abenjang (NPP), T Chalukumba Ao (INC), and Imchatoba Imchen (Independent) stating that their ideas and development agendas would be valuable for the constituency’s growth.
On the limited tenure of about one and a half years, he said the duration would not be used as an excuse, but rather as a period to deliver tangible outcomes. He expressed intent to continue the developmental works initiated during his father’s tenure and aim to achieve specific goals within the available time, with guidance from the state leadership.
Imchen, who will be among the youngest member in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, said he is keen to learn from senior legislators while focusing on key areas such as youth development, women empowerment, and community welfare. He added that he would avoid making high promises, but assured that he would give his best during the tenure.
On the electoral outcome, he noted that the presence of multiple candidates reflected a healthy democratic process, adding that victory margins were secondary to the mandate itself.
Reiterating his commitment, Imchen assured that he would serve the people with honesty, integrity, and courage, while striving to carry forward the legacy of public service associated with his family.
