Longkumer elected as Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly

Kohima: People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Sharingain Longkumer (37) has been elected as the new Speaker of the Nagaland Assembly by defeating Naga People Front (NPF) MLA and former Speaker Imtiwapang Aier here by a margin of seven votes on Friday.

Out of 57 MLAs of 60-member House, Longkumer secured 32 votes while Aier secured 25 votes.

Meanwhile, the newly elected speaker, Sharingain Longkumer, has thanked the House members for keeping trust upon him, despite being the youngest legislator in the state Assembly.

Paying tributes to former Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshü, Longkumer said that he will commit to the trust attached to the seat of the Speaker.

Leader of House, Neiphiu Rio and Leader of Opposition, TR Zeliang, have also congratulated the newly elected Speaker of the Nagaland assembly. Rio praised the young and first time legislator for his role as Deputy Speaker where he presided over important sessions, including the first day of the budget session held in January this year.

The post for the Speaker of the state assembly felt vacant following the death of Vikho-o Yhoshü (68) in a Mumbai hospital on December 30 last year.

Chief minister Neiphiu Rio-led People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) fielded Sharingain Longkumer, sitting Deputy Speaker and Speaker-in-charge to contest to the post against Naga People Front (NPF) MLA and former Speaker Imtiwapang Aier.

Sharingain Longkumer (37) was the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance’s (PDA) consensus candidate from the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and won the Aonglenden assembly by-election held in May last year.

The first-timer was unanimously elected as the Deputy Speaker of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) in August last year.

Imtiwapang Aier (46), a resident of Sungratsu village under Mokokchung district, contested from the No 23 Impur (Nagaland) constituency.

In the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly session held in March 2017, Aier was unanimously elected as the 17th Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker. Aier was also the first Ao Naga to become Speaker of the state Assembly. He contested elections in 2013 with INC ticket. Aier completed his PhD in Engineering Geoplogy from Nagaland University in 2005.

The six day budget session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, which began on Friday, will continue till February 8,10,13,14,and 15.