Tokheho Yepthomi defeats Congress' K L Chishi in Nagaland

Kohima, May 24, 2019:

At the end of what was one of the closest elections ever fought in Nagaland history, the  Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate Tokheho Yepthomi has defeated his nearest rival, Congress' K L Chishi by a slim margin of 16,344 votes. Tokheho Yepthomi has won 5,00,510 votes in comparison to Chishi's 4,84,166  votes earned by Chishi.

Chishi, who is a former Chief Minister, led for a long period during the middle of the counting phases, but the NPP candidate, who is also the sitting MP, surged into the lead during the latter phases of counting and finally emerged victorious.

Chishi's loss will come as a severe setback to the Congress party as the seasoned politician, Chishi, was expected to provide a stiff challenge to the NDPP dominance in the State.

Moreover, it was expected that the resentment over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which drew sharp criticism from all Northeastern states, would add to the Congress' tally which has stood in opposition to the Bill. The winning margin was lesser for the NDPP candidate and it can be assumed that the NDPP's alliance with the BJP at the Centre might have cost the party some votes, but apparently, it was not enough to curtail the NPDD in Nagaland.

It may be mentioned that the saffron party is expected in as many as 354 Lok Sabha Constituencies, as per the latest trends. This is a historic victory for the BJP as it became the first non-Congress Government to retain power in India.

Repeating its near improbable feat of landslide victory in North, East and West India with a vote share of nearly 50 per cent, the NDA surpassed its last tally of 336 to achieve a super-sized number of 350 seats, out of the total 542 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP itself scored a triple ton by winning a monumental 303 seats across the country.

The BJP has also secured a thumping victory in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly election as the Pema Khandu-led Government seeks to extend its stay in power.

Keep following Inside Northeast on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and Instagram. Do download our app from the Google Playstore for the latest news updates, views, and entertainment on the go. We deliver the Northeast.