Nagaland Election Results 2023 live updates: Neiphiu Rio set to be Nagaland chief minister for record fifth term

A sore point in Nagaland’s electoral history was erased on Thursday when the state got its first pair of women legislators after six decades of statehood, both accomplished names in their respective fields but greenhorns in politics. That US-educated lawyer-turned-social entrepreneur Hekani Jakhalu Kenseand activist Salhoutuonuo Kruse took on and defeated sitting MLAs made the end of the drought doubly sweet.Hekani and Salhoutuonuo, who contested the Dimapur-III and Western Angami seats respectively on NDPP tickets, were among just four women in the list of 183 candidates across the state.
“I will try my best to live up to all expectations. This is a new chapter for all of us,” 47-year-old Hekani said in her first victory speech in Dimapur town. “My victory is not mine alone; it belongs to my people, who trusted me with their hopes and aspirations. I dedicate this victory to God and pledge to serve my constituents with honesty and integrity,” she tweeted later.
Fellow victor Salhoutuonuo, 56, had the tougher road to victory in a see-saw final few rounds of counting that saw her pip Independent candidate Keneizhakho Nakhro by seven votes.“Today, we have created history! This momentous victory belongs to us," tweeted Salhoutuonuo, who has served as president of the influential Angami Women Organisation. “My win is an opportunity to prove that women can become decision makers at the highest level in government for the welfare of the people,” she said.

he Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-BJP alliance has got a clear majority in Nagaland, winning 37 of 60 seats, and is set for a second term.
Though there were hiccups in the run-up to the polls, with some BJP workers publicly expressing unhappiness over the allotment of twice as many seats to NDPP, the results show an emphatic win for the alliance, with chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s NDPP winning 25 seats (of 40) and BJP getting 12 (of 20).
The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), the single largest party in the last election with 26 seats, is now the biggest loser, dwindling to just two. Congress, which ruled the state till 2003, could not even open its account yet again.
One interesting feature of the 2023 polls in Nagaland is the surprise show of newbie political parties, which are rooted in the Hindi belt and Maharashtra.
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Republican Party of India (Athawale) won two seats each on debut, while Nationalist Congress Party grabbed seven seats. Janata Dal (United), an old player in Nagaland politics, won just one seat.
The 2023 polls also scripted history — two women have been elected to the assembly for the first time. Both of them are from NDPP and greenhorns in politics — Hekani Jakhalu (DimapurIII) and Salhoutuonuo Kruse (Western Angami).
Unlike Tripura and Meghalaya, there were no upsets in Nagaland. CM Rio of NDPP registered a thumping victory in Northern Angami II seat, while deputy CM Y Patton won Tuyi, Nagaland BJP president Temjen Imna Along won Alongtaki and former CM TR Zeliang won Peren convincingly.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday successfully retained its iron grip on the northeastern states, a region where it had little to no presence before 2014, after securing victories in both Tripura and Nagaland. In Meghalaya, where the BJP went solo this time, the party has extended support to Conrad Sangma's National People’s Party (NPP) in forming government in the state.

The NDPP-BJP alliance bagged 37 seats in the 60-member Nagaland assembly, securing a straight second term in office in the northeastern state.

The party failed to open its account in Nagaland where it fielded candidates in 23 out of 60 seats.

History was scripted in Nagaland on Thursday when the state elected its first women legislators in its 60 years of statehood. The two women lawmakers - Hekhani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) are greenhorns in politics but defeated the sitting MLAs in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively.

The newbie Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which contested at 15 assembly constituencies this year, also managed to open their account by securing a win on one seat and they are leading on another one. The Naga Peoples Front has won one seat and is leading on another.

Following the assembly elections results of Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, BJP chief JP Nadda arrives at BJP headquarters.

According to the latest trends shared by the Election Commission at 4.45pm on Thursday, BJP won 12 seats while NDPP won 22 seats and is leading on 3 seats. Congress bagged 5 seats and is leading on two seats.

"I thank the people of Nagaland from the bottom of my heart for choosing peace and progress by re-electing the PM Modi-led NDA back in power," Union minister and BJP leader Amit Shah said on Thursday.

Nagaland political stalwart and its longest serving chief minister Neiphiu Rio is set to assume office as chief minister for a fifth consecutive term after a convincing win for his party and its ally, the BJP. Together, the two parties have secured 33 seats in the 60-member Nagaland assembly.

PM Modi has thanked the people of Nagaland for the NDPP-BJP alliance's win, says double engine government will keep working for its progress.

The NDPP-BJP had fought the elections on 40:20 seat sharing arrangement.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) won 21 seats while its alliance partner got 12 seats, the EC said.

NDPP-BJP has won 33 seats, securing a majority in 60-member Nagaland Assembly, as per the EC.

Nagaland BJP chief Temjen Imna Along on Thursday won the assembly election from Alongtaki constituency. The state BJP chief defeated Janata Dal (United) candidate J Lanu Longchar by a margin of 3,748 votes.

"This is only the first step. We need to do many good things in future," says Hekani Jakhalu, the first woman candidate to win in any assembly election in Nagaland since it got statehood 60 years ago.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies, IPFT and NDPP, were likely to retain power in Nagaland, as per the latest trends post the initial rounds of counting in the state.

The NDPP-BJP alliance won 15 seats in Nagaland Assembly election and is leading in 21 constituencies, officials said on Thursday.

The LJP (Ramvilas) which also contested the Nagaland Assembly election for the first time won the Pughoboto seat as its candidate Dr Sukhato A Sema defeated nearest rival Y Vikheho Swu of NDPP by 850 votes, the EC said.

Independent candidates Neisatuo Mero and Kevipodi Sophie also won from Pfutsero and Southern Angami-I respectively.

Nagaland has not elected any women legislators to the 60-member House since it got statehood in 1963. Last year, S Phangnon Konyak (Rajya Sabha member) made history when she became the first woman Member of Parliament (MP) from this northeastern state in more than four decades.

Hekhani Jakhalu on Thursday created history by becoming the first woman to be elected to the Nagaland Assembly. The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) candidate won Dimapur-III seat by 1,536 votes, beating rival Azheto Zhimomi of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas).

NDPP's Hekhani Jakhalu wins Dimapur-III seat by 1,536 votes, becoming first woman to be elected to Nagaland Assembly.

After trailing in the earlier rounds of counting for the Nagaland Assembly, the BJP's Nagaland chief Temjen Imna Along opened up a lead in his constituency, Alongtaki. According to the latest counting trends shared by the Election Commission of India at 12.15 pm, the BJP Nagaland chief was leading Janata Dal (United) candidate J Lanu Longchar by 1,202 votes.

Y Lima Onen Chang of Republican Party of India (Athawale) wins Noksen Assembly constituency in Nagaland defeating nearest rival H Chuba Chang of Nationalist Democratic Party (NDPP) by 188 votes, says Election Commission.

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party candidate S Keoshu Yimchunger wins Shamator Chessore Assembly constituence defeating nearest Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) candidate R Tohanba by 2,295 votes, EC said.

Republican Party of India (Athawale) candidate Imtichoba wins Tuensang Sadar II Assembly constituency in Nagaland by defeating nearest NDPP rival K Odibendang Chang by 400 votes.

The Akuluto seat has been won uncontested by BJP nominee Kazheto Kinimi while BJP candidate P Bashangmongba Chang won the Tuensang Sadar-I seat by defeating his nearest NCP rival Toyan Chang by 5,644 votes.

As per trends available for 55 out of 60 seats, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) was ahead in 20 seats while its alliance partner the BJP was leading in 10 seats, the EC website said. The NDPP and BJP fought the election on a 40:20 seat sharing agreement.

BJP candidate P Bashangmongba Chang wins Tuensang Sadar-I seat by 5,644 votes over nearest rival Toyang Chang of NCP.

Two of the four women candidates Hekhani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of NDPP are also leading in Dimapur-III and Western Angami seats.

Deputy chief minister and BJP nominee Y Patton is leading by 110 votes in Tyui seat in Wokha.

NDPP supremo and Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio was leading by over 6,394 votes against his nearest Indian National Congress party rival Seyievilie Sachu.

The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) was ahead in 18 seats while its alliance partner the BJP was leading in seven seats, the EC said. The NDPP and BJP fought the election on a 40:20 seat sharing agreement.

The BJP had already opened its account in the Northeast state after its candidate Kazheto Kinimi won uncontested from the Akuluto seat. This after the Congress candidate, Khekashe Sumi, withdrew his nomination. The withdrawal of candidature by Sumi reduced the total candidates in fray to 183.

The BJP was leading in 3 constituencies while the NDPP, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, had opened up a lead in 11 constituencies, as per the latest trends shared by the poll panel. The BJP was leading at Tuensang Sadar-I, Dimapur-I, and Seyochung Sitimi, while the NDPP was leading in Chazouba, Chizami, Dimapur-II, Meluri, Noksen, Northern Angami-I, Northern Angami-II, Shamator Chessore, Tuensang Sadar-II, and Western Angami constituencies.

NDPP - 29 | BJP - 14 | NDF - 3 | Cong - 0 | OTH - 14

Kekhrielhoulie Yhome of NDPP is leading in NPF bastion Northern Angami-I with 2791 votes. Khriehu Liezietsu of NPF trails with 2296 votes.

Independents, NCP and NPP leading in two seats each in Nagaland. JD (U), RPI (A) and LJP (Ram Vilas) surges ahead in one seat each, as per EC

Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) and Nationalist Congress Party & Republican Party of India (Athawale) leading on one seat each.