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Rio can't outsmart Zeliang in Nagaland politics

By AT News |

New Delhi, March 5: The high voltage drama in Nagaland has reached its climax where Neiphu Rio’s dream to take oath as chief minister might be shattered at any moment.

NPF has threatened to withdraw support from the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur If the central leadership keeping ignoring the plea to allow TR Zeliang as chief minister whose party secured 28 seats, just away from three seats to cross the majority mark.

The development took this queer turn a day after the NDPP chief staked claims to form the government with support from BJP and independent. Rio, however, has yet to submit the details of the legislators who promised him their supports.

Sources told Assam Times that top BJP leaders at the Centre have strongly expressed their resentment against the NDDP chief and three times Chief Minister of Nagaland.

Rio was caught in a simmering controversy as he and his henchmen were involved in the anti BJP activities in 2004 when he was at the helm of NPF and prime minister Narendra Modi and a top RSS functionary, therefore, disallowed him from getting a cabinet berth after he won the Lok Sabha polls.

Rio repeated the same in 2008 after which he shot off a letter to the then Supremo of UPA Sonia Gandhi stating that he had “successfully uprooted BJP from Nagaland.” 

The letter reached the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, a top RSS functionary revealed on anonymity. In 2014, Rio was denied a Union ministerial berth because of his ‘anti-BJP action.

In 2003  BJP won 7 seats in Nagaland, in 2008 the number decreased to 2 which was further reduced to 1 in 2013. This time around, BJP has secured 12 seats out of 20, the entire credit of which goes to BJP Election Incharge for Nagaland Kiren Rijiju though Madhav has been occupying the limelight of late.

Top BJP  leaders are in favour of incumbent Chief Minister, TR Zeliang and his NPF Party that managed to secure 27 seats out of 58 in the recently declared elections result. 

General elections will be held in April or May 2019 to constitute the 17th Lok Sabha and BJP leaders may likely form the Government in Nagaland in alliance with its long-time ally, the NPF Party. 

NPF has the ability, without doubt, to break up the Government in Manipur which has 4 NPF MLAs . In such an event, BJP will lose two MP seats  from Manipur.

One Lok Sabha seat recently vacated by NDPP Chief, Rio in Nagaland is likely to go to the NPF Party given its strength of 27 seats out of 60 in the State Assembly in the event of a by-election.

Shortage of 3 seats in the Lok Sabha is not something the BJP Party would exchange for a NDDP-BJP led Government in Nagaland. 

Top BJP leaders led by its President, Amit Shah is reported to have consulted Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. Chances of NDPP Chief Ministerial Candidate, Rio and his NDPP Party with 17 seats landing in hot soup despite claims of securing BJP’s support in formation of the Government in Nagaland cannot be ruled out.

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Assam Times Staff. editor@assamtimes.org
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