Nagaland: Rio government to be sworn-in on March 7; PM Modi to be present

Prime Minister Narendra Modi after being presented with Naga traditional attires by Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio (L) during a public rally ahead of the Nagaland Assembly election in Chumukedima, Nagaland. Credit: PTI File Photo

Nagaland’s political stalwart, Neiphiu Rio is all set to be sworn in as chief minister of the northeastern state for the fifth term on Tuesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, officials said.

Rio staked his claim to form the government only on Monday evening though counting was held on March 2. He met Governor La Ganesan at around 6 pm on Monday after the NDPP and BJP leaders submitted their joint declaration for the government formation and support to him.

BJP sources said Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda will also be present at the swearing-in to be held at around 1.30 pm.

This will be the first time in Nagaland that central ministers will be present at the swearing-in ceremony of the state council of ministers.

The oath-taking of the Rio-led NDPP-BJP government will take place under tight security arrangements at the Capital Cultural Hall here, unlike the massive open public swearing-in ceremony of the government held at the Local Ground in 2018, when Rio became the chief minister. The Rio-led NDPP-BJP coalition had won 37 of the total 60 seats in the Februray 27 Assembly election.

The alliance was the only pre-poll one in the state and contested on a 40:20 seat-sharing formula. The regional party increased its tally from 18 in 2018 to 25 this time, while the saffron party retained its tally of 12 seats, giving the alliance the absolute majority to retain power for the second consecutive term.

Since the commencement of the election campaign, both NDPP and BJP had projected 72-year-old Rio as their chief ministerial candidate.

The BJP Legislature Party in presence of its national spokesperson Nalin Kohli and observer Ranjit Das here unanimously re-elected Yanthungo Patton as its leader. He will be the deputy chief minister of Nagaland.

Meanwhile, the Kohima district and the police administrations have issued traffic restrictions on certain routes linked with VVIP movement and the school education department has declared a holiday for all schools within the city area for security reasons on Tuesday.