NDPP retains Shamator-Chessore seat uncontested in Nagaland bypoll
With S Keoshu Yimchunger’s victory, the NDPP’s total strength in the house of 60 now stands at 21, while NPF has 25 MLAs and BJP has 12, and two independent legislators.
The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) in Nagaland has retained the Shamator-Chessore assembly constituency in the bypoll scheduled for October 30 with its candidate S Keoshu Yimchunger declared elected uncontested on October 13 by the state chief electoral officer’s (CEO) establishment.
Yimchunger, a newcomer in the state electoral politics, was the consensus candidate of the newly formed opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in Nagaland where the NDPP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Naga People's Front (NPF) and two independent MLAs are partners. Prior to the 2018 state general assembly elections, the NDPP and BJP had a seat-sharing agreement. While the two parties with the support of one independent, along with two National People’s Party MLAs and one Janata Dal (United) MLA had formed the People’s Democratic Alliance, the latter three MLAs later merged with the NDPP. The old regional giant Naga People’s Front (NPF) had played the role of opposition until July this year when they moved to form an all-party government to push the long drawn-out Naga peace talks. Formation of the new opposition-less government under the nomenclature UDA was finalised in September.
The bypoll to Shamatore-Chessore seat in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly was necessitated by the demise of the then sitting NDPP MLA Toshi Wungtung in July this year.
Yimchunger was the sole candidate to file nomination papers to contest in the bypoll and following scrutiny of his documents, which were found to be valid and after the last hour for withdrawal of candidature on October 13, he was handed over the certificate of election-by-election officials.
With Yimchunger’s uncontested victory, the NDPP’s total strength in the house of 60 now stands at 21, while NPF has 25 MLAs and BJP has 12, and two independent legislators.
| Electors | Reason for bypoll | 2018 winner | Victory margin |
| 17,363 | Death of sitting MLA Toshi Wungtung | Toshi Wungtung | 307 |
