Dimapur: Neiphiu Rio was sworn in as the chief minister of Nagaland for the fourth time in Kohima on Thursday along with 11 cabinet ministers, six of them from ally BJP.
Governor P.B. Acharya administered the oath of office to the 12-member council of ministers at Khuochiezie (local ground). The venue holds significance as Nagaland's statehood was announced here on December 1, 1963.
Rio will have to prove his majority in the 60-member House on or before March 16.
The Rio-led Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), the senior partner in the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) with 18 MLAs, has got four berths in the council of ministers. Two berths went to the lone JDU legislator G. Kaito Aye and Independent Tongpang Ozukum who are supporting the NDPP-BJP government. The BJP has got 12 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly. Apart from Rio, the NDPP ministers are C.M. Chang, Neiba Kronu and Metsubo Jamir while the BJP ministers are Yanthungo Patton (deputy chief minister), S. Pangnyu Phom, P. Paiwang Konyak, N. Jacob Zhimomi, V. Kashiho Sangtam and Temjen Imna.
BJP president Amit Shah, defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, North East Democratic Alliance convener Himanta Biswa Sarma, the chief ministers of five BJP-ruled/supported states in the Northeast - Sarbananda Sonwal (Assam), N. Biren Singh (Manipur), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh), Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya) and BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav attended the ceremony.
Rio's predecessor T.R. Zeliang, the leader of the Opposition in the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, was also there with other leaders of the Opposition Naga People's Front (NPF), which has 26 MLAs. The 12th Assembly was without any Opposition members.
After the swearing-in, Rio promised to remove VIP culture from Nagaland, to promote meritocracy, ensure good governance, transparency and working together with neighbouring states with a spirit of understanding. He said an early and final settlement to the protracted Naga political issue would remain foremost on his government's priority list.
In its first order, the new government banned the use of designation nameplates on vehicles under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989.
All government officials and functionaries have been directed not to display their designations on their vehicles. Violators will face action under Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. However, ministers and MLAs will be given colour-coded car stickers to facilitate their movement across the state.
Rio said the NPP, which withdrew support on Wednesday, was still in the PDA. The NPP with its two MLAs are, however, yet to join the PDA government.
Political watchers said it is going to be a tightrope walk for Rio, who will have to contend with the issues of governance, the pulls and pressures of a coalition government and a strong Opposition. The people are looking forward to an early resolution of the Naga issue and any undue delay could lead to resentment. Then there is the issue of development. NDPP's lack of numbers in the cabinet could also put Rio under strain.
