BJP ally NDPP wins Nagaland Lok Sabha seat in bypoll

Kohima: Ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), a BJP ally, on Thursday won the lone Nagaland Lok Sabha seat in the bypoll, defeating rival NPF nominee by a huge margin of over 1.73 lakh votes.

NDPP nominee Tokheho Yepthomi, representing the ruling PDA (People's Democratic Alliance) in Nagaland, defeated NPF nominee C Apok Jamir by 1,73,746 votes in the by-election, Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said.

Yepthomi polled 5,94,205 votes against the only opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) nominee Jamir who bagged 4,20,459 votes.

Counting of votes for the bypoll held on May 28 was taken up today in 13 centres across the state.

PDA nominee Yepthomi won in nine districts, except for Phek and Peren districts. The bypoll was necessitated after Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, who is also the NDPP leader, had resigned from the Lok Sabha in February.

NDPP had joined hands with BJP to form a coalition government headed by Neiphiu Rio after state poll in the North-Eastern state of Nagaland in February this year.

Phek has been a strong bastion of NPF while Peren is Opposition leader TR Zeliang's district.

A total of 3,991 votes were cast in favour of NOTA.