BJP, NDPP get the nod from the governor to form govt in Nagaland

Kohima: A senior leader of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), an ally of the BJP, said Neiphiu Rio, in his meeting with the Governor, staked claim to form the government in Nagaland saying he has the support of 32 MLAs. Neiphiu Rio has the majority and should form the government, Nagaland Governor P B Acharya said on Sunday after a meeting with the NDPP leader, who claimed he has the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly. Acharya said he has asked Rio to submit signatures of all the 32 MLAs supporting him by Monday. Rio has the majority and should form the government, Acharya said after the meeting.

The NDPP and the BJP have won 18 and 12 seats respectively while the lone JD(U) MLA G Kaito Aye and Independent legislator Tongpang Ozukum were backing the alliance, NDPP secretary general Abu Metha said. Rio met the governor along with NDPP president Chingwang Konyak, BJP state president Visasolie Lhoungu, the JD(U) MLA and the Independent legislator, he said.

Rio is a three-time chief minister of the state. Meanwhile, Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who heads the Naga People’s Front or NPF that won 29 seats along with its ally in the assembly election, said he will not resign. Zeliang said he would meet with BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss government formation in Nagaland.