Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu to be sworn in as Nagaland CM on Wednesday

GUWAHATI: The political drama in Nagaland ended on Monday after 59 MLAs of ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland ( DAN) unanimously elected 81-year-old Shurhozelie Liezietsu as its leader. Liezietsu will be sworn in as the new chief minister on Wednesday.

Agitating tribal bodies who opposed 33 per cent reservation to women in urban local bodies had been demanding that chief minister TR Zeliang step down after death of two protesters in the stir. However, despite a majority of MLAs preferring Liezietsu, his takeover was queered when Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio’s candidature was propped up by a section close to the BJP-led Centre. BJP’s 4 MLAs are members of DAN.

Shurhozelie finally emerged as the new leader by consensus on Monday. An 8-time MLA, he has served as minister for urban development higher and technical education. He was the president of Naga Peoples Front and chairman of the DAN coalition. Following Shurhozelie’s election as CM, Zeliang was unanimously elected chairman of DAN Co-ordination Committee too. Shurhozelie hinted that he will engage in discussion with agitating groups. Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) which is spearheading movement against the reservation has called off the state-wide bandh following the change in the state’s leadership.

Shurhozelie lauded Zeliang’s “supreme sacrifice” of quitting his post to save the Naga people from undergoing further turmoil. "A lot of damage has been done to the fair name of Nagaland and our economy has been adversely affected in the last few weeks. But I hope good sense will prevail, so that people can come together and rebuild our society,” he said. “I have a strong feeling that together we can achieve our goal," he added.

Zeliang expressed confidence that the state would benefit immensely from Shurhozelie’s experienced leadership and statesmanship.