BJP candidate Daochier Imchen was ahead of NPP rival I Abenjan by 1,599 votes after two rounds of counting in the Koridang Assembly bypoll in Mokokchung district on Monday.
Imchen secured 4,554 votes, while Abenjan polled 2,955 votes. One more round of counting is scheduled.
Counting began at 8 am at the deputy commissioner’s office under tight security, with multi-layer deployment and CCTV surveillance in place in view of past poll-related incidents.
Six candidates are in the fray, including Congress nominee T Chalukumba Ao and three Independents. Imchen is also the consensus candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government led by the Naga People’s Front (NPF).
The bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BJP MLA Imkong L. Imchen in November last year.
Polling held on April 9 recorded a turnout of 82.21 per cent, with 18,400 of 22,382 electors voting across 30 polling stations.
(With inputs from PTI)
