Nagaland to soon become officially opposition-less; CM Rio ‘welcomes’ support

Kohima: Nagaland is set to soon become officially opposition-less as Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio informed on Wednesday that letters of support submitted by MLAs of various political parties, including independent candidates, have been forwarded to Governor La Ganesan and the Speaker of the state Assembly.

During a thanksgiving ceremony of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) Kohima region held at the party headquarters in Kohima, Rio said that the “unconditional” support extended by all winning candidates of the non-People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) towards the government is a “welcome” move.

 Recalling a meeting held with its alliance partner BJP in this regard, Rio said that although the BJP had informed him that they would have to seek the party’s high command on the matter, the CM had directly told them that the “politically correct word” should be that the two major parties should welcome the support letters.

In this regard, Rio informed that the same has been conveyed to the BJP central leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National Spokesperson Nalin Kohli. The national party leaders, he said, also agreed that the government cannot deny the support extended by elected representatives.

On a 40:20 seat-sharing formula, the NDPP and its pre-poll alliance partner BJP had contested 60 seats, winning a total of 37 with no “strong opposition” from any single political party. Despite comfortably forming the new government, Rio shared why the state needs to head for another opposition-less government.

The CM said that although many people are questioning the formation of an opposition-less government, there is a need for Nagas to be united to facilitate resolving the Naga political issue. Even if Nagas cannot unite, he said that all 60 legislators must unite.

Rio also said that all 60 legislators must unite to address issues regarding the demand for a separate state made by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization.

In 2021, an all-party government was formed under the banner of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) to facilitate the Naga political issue. Prior to that, in 2015, the state entered into an opposition-less government for the first time to achieve an early solution to the Naga peace talks.

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