Neiphiu Rio appointed new Nagaland CM by governor, to be sworn in on 8 March, says Raj Bhavan source

Kohima: Senior NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio was appointed the new chief minister of Nagaland by Governor PB Acharya and would be sworn in on 8 March, a Raj Bhavan source said. Acharya, in a letter to Rio, asked him to prove his majority on the floor of the House on or before 16 March, the source said. [caption id=“attachment_4375213” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Neiphiu Rio. Image courtesy: 101Reporters[/caption] The governor said he had received letters of support in Rio’s favour from 12 legislators of the BJP, one letter from the JD(U) and another from an Independent MLA, besides the 18 legislatures of the NDPP. The new ministry will be sworn in on 8 March, the source said. Union minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, along with BJP general secretary Arun Singh and state BJP president BJP Visasolie Lhoungu, met the governor earlier Tuesday and submitted a letter of support to Rio with the signatures of all 12 BJP MLAs. The BJP leaders informed the governor that Y Patton had been elected the BJP Legislature Party leader in the Assembly. National People’s Party’s (NPP) state president Ato Yepthomi said he had also submitted a letter supporting Rio to the governor. The governor has asked him to give a letter of support signed by the party’s national president Conrad Sangma along with a letter with the signatures of both the NPP MLAs at the earliest. In the recently concluded Assembly elections, the ruling NPF won 26 seats. The NDPP-BJP alliance cornered 30 seats and has the support of two NPP MLAs, one JD(U) MLA and an Independent. Outgoing Chief Minister TR Zeliang submitted his resignation which the governor accepted and asked him to continue in office till an alternative arrangement was made. Earlier in the day, officials from the Election Commission along with state Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha submitted a notification constituting the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly to the governor. The governor dissolved the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the source said.