Changs file nominations for Noksen A/C bye-poll

Our Correspondent KOHIMA, AUGUST 17 BOTH the candidates of the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) and Opposition Congress have filed their nominations for the upcoming bye-election to the 51-Noksen Assembly constituency in Tuensang district. Congress candidate Lima Onen Chang filed his nomination papers to Deputy Commissioner Tuensang, Mhabemo Lotha, who is also the Returning Officer for the bye-election on Saturday while the NPF candidate, CM Chang, who is also the consensus candidate of the ruling NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), filed his nomination on Friday.The bye-election to the Assembly constituency is scheduled for September 4. Both the candidates had contested the Nagaland Assembly elections on February 28 this year wherein CM Chang won by a margin of 1092 votes. CM Chang was also the lone Lok Sabha MP from Nagaland during that time. After winning the seat, he, however, resigned on March 14 from State Assembly to retain the Lok Sabha seat. The Election Commission announced the bye-election schedule on July 29 last. Scrutiny of the nomination papers would be done on August 19 while last date for withdrawal has been fixed for August 21. 5 DAN MLAs exhort party workers Five DAN legislators, including Minister for Health and Family Welfare Imkong L. Imchen, urged their party workers to work hard to win the Noksen A/C bye-election. Exhorting the party workers at Tuensang division NPF office before the filing of nomination by CM Chang yesterday, Imkong stressed that the upcoming bye-election is very important for the ruling NPF party. He said the NPF party workers along with the party workers of alliance partners should dedicate themselves to win the seat and help CM Chang to continue to serve the people of the district in particular and the State in general. He also said being in the ruling front, party workers should not be complacent and that all efforts should be made for the party to retain the seat with a record margin. Parliamentary Secretary for Urban Development, Zhaleo Rio, maintained that during the election campaign, the party leaders should make it clear to the grassroots people that CM Chang had resigned from the seat after winning it in the February 2013 elections so that Nagaland would not have to face two parliamentary elections within a year. He resigned from the State Assembly in the interest of the Naga people, Zhaleo said, adding that the message should be clear before the electorate so that the rival does not get the opportunity to create misunderstanding. Parliamentary Secretary for Jail, Home Guards, Village Guards, DBs and GBs, Kejong Chang, told the gathering that Noksen A/C had been a strong hold of the Congress party but CM Chang broke their bastion during the February elections. He stressed upon the party workers not to leave any stone unturned to retain the seat. CM Chang asserted that he is back to serve the people of the State in general and the constituency in particular with commitment. Parliamentary Secretary for CAWD, R. Tohanba, Independent MLA and Chairman NBRM, Toyang Changkong Chang, were also present during the party meeting. Later, CM Chang accompanied by the five legislators filed his nomination papers.