Nagaland Mourns: Five-Time MLA Imkong L Imchen Passes Away at 75

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Kohima, Nagaland - Nagaland's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Imkong L Imchen, who represented the Koridang assembly seat, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 75 in Guwahati. Imchen, who served as the state's advisor for Information and Public Relations (IPR), was admitted to a hospital in Kohima on November 7 after a suspected heart attack. He was later airlifted to Guwahati on November 10, where he breathed his last the following day. A state funeral will be held on November 12 at 9:30 am to pay tribute to the five-time MLA. Imchen, a native of Mangmetong village in Mokokchung, had a rich political background. He began his journey in student politics and rose to prominence as the chairman of an action panel of post-graduate students at North Eastern Hill University in Shillong and general secretary of the influential Naga Students' Federation. Imchen joined the Mokokchung district Congress committee in 1989 as a secretary and went on to serve as a minister in the Naga People's Front (NPF) government, handling key portfolios such as rural development, health, family welfare, power, school education, forest and climate change, and home. He later joined the BJP during the 2023 state assembly elections and was appointed advisor for IPR and soil and water conservation. Nagaland Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio have paid their condolences, remembering Imchen's dedication and sincerity in public service. Rio, in his tribute, recalled his long association with Imchen, describing him as a warm, cheerful, and outspoken leader who was not afraid to express his opinions and stood up for what he believed in. Imchen's passing has left a void in the Ao community and the Naga people, who have lost a stalwart leader.