Koridang bypoll result highlighted sympathy voting, opposition fragmentation and enduring personality-driven politics shaping Nagaland’s electoral landscape
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DIMAPUR — The victory of Daochier I Imchen in the recent 28 Koridang Assembly by-election was not merely a routine electoral win for the BJP but a result shaped by a combination of sympathy sentiment, fragmented opposition votes and the enduring influence of personality-driven politics in Nagaland.
While the BJP candidate secured a comfortable victory with 7,317 votes, the overall voting pattern indicated that the contest was far more layered than the final margin suggested.
According to the Election Index Card and Statistical Report released by the Election Commission of India, the 35-year-old Daochier polled around 39% of the 18,654 valid votes cast in the constituency.
However, the combined tally of Independent candidates Toshikaba and Imtiwapang stood at 7,827 votes—surpassing the BJP candidate’s individual vote count.
Also read: Rio, Patton, NPF laud Daochier Imchen’s Koridang victory
Toshikaba secured 4,194 votes while Imtiwapang received 3,633 votes. Both of them were from the same village: Chungtia.
These figures can be interpreted as the reinforcement of a long-standing trend in Nagaland where local influence, clan affiliations and personal networks continue to outweigh party loyalties in many Assembly contests.
The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of former minister and sitting MLA Imkong L Imchen, whose political influence in the constituency remained significant over the years. Eventually, it was his son who emerged victorious.
Analysts believe the emotional undercurrent surrounding the election may have contributed to the consolidation of support behind Daochier, helping the BJP retain the seat amid a divided opposition field.
At the same time, the election exposed the inability of opposition forces to rally behind a single challenger. Apart from the two strong Independent candidates, I Abenjang of the National People’s Party (NPP) secured 3,219 votes, despite the party being part of the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government in Nagaland alongside the BJP, NPF, and others.
The Congress, meanwhile, suffered a near-total collapse in the constituency. Its candidate, T Chalukumba Ao, managed only 144 votes, underlining the party’s continuing organisational decline in several parts of Nagaland.
Another notable aspect of the by-election was the high voter participation. Out of 22,506 electors, 18,745 votes were polled, reflecting a turnout of over 83% despite the election being a bypoll.
That, in turn, makes for a case of strong mobilisation by candidates and their local networks.
Although the BJP ultimately retained the seat with a comfortable victory margin, the numbers also indicated that Koridang remains politically competitive, with independent candidates continuing to command substantial influence.