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Former Nagaland CM Shurhozelie Liezietsu wins assembly bypoll
Shurhozelie Liezietsu was ousted by NPF colleague TR Zeliang in July 19.
Former Nagaland chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Thursday won the Northern Angami-I assembly seat, defeating his lone rival, independent Kekhrie Yhome, by 3,470 votes.
The by-election was held on July 29, and 78.55% of more than 16,500 voters in the constituency covering a part of state capital Kohima exercised their franchise.
The bypoll became necessary after Shurhozelie’s son Khriehu Liezietsu vacated the seat on May 24 for his father to get a berth in the 60-member assembly. But a rebellion within the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) saw TR Zeliang replacing Shurhozelie as chief minister on July 19, making the bypoll virtually redundant for the latter.
Shurhozelie had retired from active politics in 2012 and had reluctantly agreed to become the chief minister in February this year when Zeliang was forced to resign due to statewide violence against his decision to hold civic polls with 33% reservation for women.
The by-election virtually became meaningless for Shurhozelie after his ouster as chief minister. But for MLAs loyal to him, it was a prestige contest because the “Zeliang group has gone all out to ensure his defeat”.
Zeliang had less than a week before the by-election on July 29 wished Shurhozelie the best. But he told HT: “We are not campaigning for him.”
