Rio, Ram Madhav meet Governor, stake claim for Govt formation in Nagaland

Kohima: The NDPP-BJP alliance on Sunday met Nagaland Governor P B Acharya and staked claim to form the next government in the state.

Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, accompanied by NDPP's Chief Ministerial face Neiphiu Rio, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan here as the alliance has inched ahead in terms of managing numbers as one JD(U) MLA and an Independent legislator have pledged support to them.

Three-time Chief Minister Mr Neiphio Rio is likely to return at the helm of affairs in the militancy-hit state after his brief stint as Lok Sabha lawmaker. Mr Rio has been the state Chief Minister from 2003 to May 2014 when he had shifted to the central politics as a Parliamentarian. BJP's ally at the national level and Bihar, JD-U, dumped its pre-poll ally NPF and decided to "support the BJP" in the formation of a stable government in Nagaland.

'This decision is taken after a serious consideration of the current verdict of the just declared results of the conducted general election to the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly and also to safeguard the interest of the National Democratic Alliance in Delhi,' stated a press release from the president of the Nagaland JD (U) Senchumo Lotha.

Mr G Kaito Aye, JD(U) candidate from Satakha assembly segment, defeated Zheito Chophy of NPF by a margin of 2,543 votes.According to NDPP sources, the lone successful Independent candidate, Tongpang Ozukum from Angetyongpang constituency in Mokokchung district, has pledged support to the NDPP-BJP alliance and to the leadership of Mr Rio. (UNI)