TR Zeliang sworn-in as new Chief Minister of Nagaland

TR Zeliang was sworn-in as the new Chief Minister (CM) of Nagaland on 24 May 2014. Zeliang along with 11 Cabinet Ministers was administered the oath to the office and secrecy by the Governor Ashwani Kumar in Kohima.

Zeliang is the leader of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) and he succeeded the CM Neiphiu Rio as the 16th CM of the Nagaland. Rio resigned along with his Council of Ministers on 22 May 2014 after his election to the Lok Sabha on NPF ticket.

The 11 Cabinet Ministers who have been inducted by Zeliang are: P Longon, Kipili Sangtam, Nuklutoshi, Neikiesalie Nicky Kire, C L John and Benjongliba (as new ministers). Those retained are Noke Konyak, G Kaito Aye, Kuzholuzo Nienu, Kiyanilie Peseyie and Yanthungo Patton.

Earlier on 22 May 2014, the Governor appointed Zeliang as the CM in accordance with the Article 164 (1) of the Constitution of India.

Nagaland has an assembly of 60-members of which 52 MLAs are with the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland while the opposition Congress has only eight MLAs.

About T R Zeliang
• Zelinag has been elected to the state assembly six times. He first won the state polls in 1989 from the Tening assembly seat in Peren district on a Nagaland People's Council (NPC) ticket.
• In 1993, 1998 and 2003, he won the same seat on a Congress ticket and was a cabinet minister in Congress's S C Jamir ministry from 1998-2003.
• He was minister of relief and rehabilitation (1993-1998) and forest (1998-2003).
• On 27 June 2003, he and six other Congress MLAs defected from the party to form Nagaland Congress. He then merged his Naga Congress with Naga People's Front (NPF), led by Rio.
• In 2003, he was appointed as minister for geology and mining in the NPF government.
• In March, 2004, Zeliang was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Nagaland as an NPF candidate and served there till March, 2008.
• He again won the assembly election in 2008 and 2013 from Peren.
• Till the time of his appointment as CM, Zeliang served Nagaland as the Minister for Planning and Coordination in Rio’s government.

Article 164 (1) of the Constitution of India
The Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor: Provided that in the State of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa, there shall be a Minister in charge of tribal welfare who may in addition be in charge of the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and backward classes or any other work.