NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio takes oath as chief minister of Nagaland for fifth time

NEW DELHI: Neiphiu Rio, the chief of the nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), was sworn in as the fifth chief minister of Nagaland on Tuesday.
The oath-taking event in Kohima is seen by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, Nagaland Governor La Ganesan, BJP president JP Nadda, and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
As Nagaland's deputy chief ministers, Taditui Rangkau Zeliang and Yanthungo Patton also took the oath of office.
According to information provided by the Indian Election Commission, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and Bharatiya Janata Party, the state's current government, regained control of Nagaland after winning 37 seats in the 60-member parliament (ECI).

Rio won the Northern Angami-II Assembly constituency, trouncing Seyievilie Sachu of the Congress by a mammoth margin of 15,824 votes. He bagged a total of 17,045 votes, which comes to 92.87 per cent of the total votes polled in the seat.
Notably, a history was scripted in Nagaland when the state elected its first women legislators in its 60 years of statehood. The state, which has had 13 Assemblies so far, never had a woman MLA before Thursday's result.
The two women lawmakers - Hekhani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling NDPP defeated the sitting MLAs in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively.
The Northeast state saw a triangular contest as Congress and CPIM, which have been arch rivals for years, stitched a pre-poll alliance to defeat the ruling BJP.
(With inputs from agencies)