Congress candidate leads over ruling NDPP nominee in Nagaland

Kohima: The Congress is leading in Nagaland's sole Lok Sabha seat, with its candidate, S. Supongmeren Jamir, ahead of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate by a margin of 19,016 votes.

Jamir, who is also the state Congress chief, is leading against NDPP's Chumben Murry, the consensus candidate of the Peoples' Democratic Alliance (PDA).

Independent candidate Hayithung Tungoe Lotha is also contesting in this election. The PDA, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, runs an opposition-less state government.

Polling in Nagaland took place on April 19, during the first phase of voting, amid a call by the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) to abstain from voting in six districts.

This call was part of their demand for a separate state. Voters in these six districts, which have over four lakh voters and 738 polling stations, largely stayed indoors on April 19 in support of the ENPO's boycott.

The organization is pressing for the creation of 'Frontier Nagaland Territory.'