National Desk
4 June
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a historic victory, the Indian National Congress has secured the only Lok Sabha seat from Nagaland after a 20-year gap, as confirmed by the Election Commission on Tuesday. This marks a significant comeback for the party, which has had no representation in the state assembly since 2014.
Congress candidate S Suphongmeren Jameer triumphed over his nearest rival, Chumben Muri of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), by a substantial margin of 50,984 votes. Jameer garnered a total of 4,01,951 votes, while Muri received 3,50,967 votes. An independent candidate, Heethung Tungo Lotha, also contested and secured 6,232 votes.
The victory is particularly notable as the Congress last won this Lok Sabha seat in 1999. Lok Sabha Elections Returning Officer Sushil Kumar Patel provided the final vote counts and declared Jameer the winner.
This win is seen as a major boost for the Congress, which has struggled to maintain a foothold in Nagaland politics for over two decades. The party’s supporters are hopeful that this victory will pave the way for a stronger presence in the state assembly in future elections.