Nagaland CM TR Zeliang wins majority votes in state assembly

GUWAHATI: Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang today proved majority on the floor of the state's Assembly, He won 47 of the 58 votes. In the 60-member House, that has an effective strength of 59, following the resignation of an MLA, the speaker did not take part in the voting.

Governor PB Acharya appointed Zeliang as the chief minister within hours after dismissing his predecessor Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Wednesday. Liezietsu was dismissed for skipping the vote of confidence ordered by the governor. 

With around nine months left for Nagaland to go to elections, Zeliang’s maiden challenge will be over the induction of MLAs into his ministry. He can at best induct 12 MLAs but he has a problem of plenty there are the independents, MLAs from the camp of former CM Neiphiu Rio, legislators from the BJP, the NPF and the list goes on.

Zeliang first donned the mantle of chief minister in 2014 when the then CM Neiphiu Rio resigned to contest the Lok Sabha elections.