Kohima, February 22 (AGENCIES): Congress candidate and MLA of Tuensang Sadar-I A/C, P Chuba Chang, died here at around 6 am today, party sources said. Chang died following a brief illness at Naga Hospital in Kohima, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, general secretary (admn) Medokul Sophie said.
Nagaland Assembly polls will be held Saturday. Meanwhile, Chief Electoral Officer of Nagaland, J Alam said that as a result of the sudden death of the Congress candidate, polls for Tuensang Sadar-I seat will be withheld now. The adjournment of polls till a date notified by the ECI in this constituency has already been announced by Deputy Commissioner & Returning Officer, Tuensang, T. Mhabemo Yanthan. Alam said Congress party would be given the opportunity to field another candidate within seven days and after that polling would be conducted in the constituency. A funeral service was held at Chang Baptist Church, Kohima for the eternal peace of the departed soul. Chang’s last rites will be held in his village in Tuensang, Sophie said.
Chang had been Congress MLA from the constituency since 1998 and had been a minister during the then Congress regime. Consistently elected to power since the 9th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, he was first elected as an Independent for two consecutive terms. He served as Minister of School Education, Parliamentary Secretary of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry, Art and Culture, Economics and Statistics and Evaluation.
The NPCC has also conveyed condolences to the bereaved families. Ruling NPF candidate Elam Chang and Independent candidate Poyang Changkong Chang are the two other candidates for the constituency.
