Neiphiu Rio, Ram Madhav stake claim for new govt

NDPP’s Neiphiu Rio, BJP’s Ram Madhav and other candidates, who back the combine, met Nagaland Governor PB Acharya to stake claim to form the government in the state. Acharya said the grouping should form the government.

BJP and NDPP together bagged 30 seats. Outgoing CM TR Zeliang’s NPF and his allies also got the same number of seats — one short of a majority. However, NDPP-BJP has support from at least two MLAs to cross the 31-seat mark in the 60-member Assembly.

Former CM Rio said his group has the support of 32 MLAs.

However, Zeliang said he will not resign. He said he would meet BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss government formation in Nagaland.

NPF chairman Shurhozolie Liezietsu has written to Shah, saying they were “still friends”. BJP broke its alliance with NPF before the elections.