Neiphiu Rio, his rival Zeliang stake claim to form govt in Nagaland

Neiphiu Rio has the majority and should form the government, Nagaland Governor P B Acharya said today 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 tomorrow.

A senior leader of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), an ally of the BJP, said Rio, in his meeting with the Governor, staked claim to form the government in Nagaland saying he has the support of 32 MLAs.


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.