New government in Nagaland likely to take office tomorrow

Guwahati: Nagaland Governor P.B. Acharya on Sunday evening gave 48 hours to the ruling Naga Peoples’ Front to prove its majority in the 60-member Assembly, soon after the state’s Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang announced that he would not resign following the declaration of election results. 

A senior leader of NDPP said that Mr Rio, in his meeting with the governor, staked claim to forming the government in Nagaland, saying he has the support of 32 MLAs.

While the Nagaland Peoples’ Front has emerged as the single largest party, winning 27 seats in the 60-member Assembly, the combined strength of the NDPP-BJP-led alliance has become 32.

The BJP, which had won only one seat in the 2013 state Assembly polls, bagged 12 seats this time, while its ally, the newly-formed NDPP, won 17 seats in the 60-member House. The National People’s Party (NPP) bagged two seats, while the JD(U) got one seat. One Independent legislator has also extended its support to the NDPP-BJP-led alliance. Sources in the NDPP-BJP alliance told this newspaper the new government would take office on Tuesday or a day later. They said the BJP would announce its decision formally only after the legislature party meetings. The newly-elected legislators are expected to meet in Kohima on Monday to elect their party leader.

The NPF had, however, informed the governor apprising him of a pre-poll understanding with the NPP and JD(U). The NPF, in its letter, also informed the governor that it had decided to propose T.R. Zeliang as chief minister of their alliance.