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Polling in Nagaland began on Tuesday morning in 2,156 polling stations, out of which 40 polling stations fall under the Northern Angami-II seat.
The polls witnessed a 75 percent turn out, which is significantly lesser than the 90.57 percent that was recorded for the state in the last Assembly elections.
As reported by PTI, a total of 11,76,432 voters , comprising 5,97,281 men, 5,79,151 women and 5,884 service voters, were considered eligible to exercise their franchise in the Nagaland polls.
Neiphiu Rio, the Chief of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), which is also in alliance with the BJP, was reportedly elected unopposed from the Northern Angami-II constituency, which contains 40 polling stations.
As reported by The Hindu, one person was shot dead during a clash in Akuluto constituency in Zunheboto district, between the BJP and the NPF supporters .
The report adds that along with this, two others were reportedly injured in the open fire initiated by the India Reserve Battalion personnel, to halt the clashes between the two parties, some of whom were allegedly armed.
Minutes into the counting day, trends put the BJP at lead in two seats, at 8:32 am.
Trends at 2.50 pm
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a congratulatory message applauding the work of BJP workers in the Nagaland.
“The BJP will form the next government in Nagaland with the help of ‘other’ parties,” Union Minister and BJP in-charge for the state Kiren Rijiju told PTI on Saturday, 3 March, indicating that the party's erstwhile ally, the NPF, may align with it.
"The NPF has already passed a resolution on alliance with the BJP,” Rijiju told PTI.
The BJP was part of the NPF-led government in Nagaland till the Assembly elections but parted ways to join hands with the newly-formed NDPP.
Nagaland is headed for a hung Assembly, with no party or pre-poll alliance having won a majority. However, NPF leader and Chief Minister TR Zeliang has invited the BJP to form the government with the party.
The NPF looks set to emerge as the single largest party, having won 24 seats and leading in three. The BJP had parted ways with the NPF ahead of the polls and joined hands with the newly-launched NDPP of Neiphiu Rio.
Zeliang said the NPF continued to be a part of the northeast democratic alliance led by the BJP, and hoped the saffron party would form the government with it.
Janata Dal (United) Nagaland said it would also extend support to the BJP to help it form the government, ANI reported. The JD(U) won one seat in Nagaland.
The BJP-NDPP alliance bagged 27 seats in Nagaland, tying their tally with the ruling-NPF. However, with the JD(U) and an Independent candidate extending their support, the BJP is likely to form a coalition government in Nagaland.
The BJP and its pre-poll ally in Nagaland, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), exuded confidence that they would be able to form a stable government in the state as the numbers were on their side.
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said the pre-poll allies have got a "near simple majority" in the 60-member assembly while NDPP leader and three-time chief minister Neiphiu Rio said he was confident that their alliance will form the next government in Nagaland.
"We are in a comfortable position to form the next government. The NDPP-BJP alliance has secured near simple majority in Nagaland. We have the support of one independent and one JD(U) MLAs which takes us to 32 seats," Madhav told reporters.
Neiphiu Rio has the majority and should form the government, Nagaland Governor P B Acharya said on Sunday, 4 March after a meeting with the NDPP leader, who claimed he has the support of 32 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
Acharya said he has asked Rio to submit signatures of all the 32 MLAs supporting him by Monday, 5 February. Rio has the majority and should form the government, Acharya said after the meeting.
Rio met the governor along with NDPP president Chingwang Konyak, BJP state president Visasolie Lhoungu, the JD(U) MLA and the Independent legislator, he said.
Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who heads the Naga People's Front (NPF) that won 29 seats along with its ally in the assembly election, said he will not resign, reported NDTV. He also said that he will meet BJP president Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss government formation.
"I was thinking he (Mr Zeliang) will resign," Nagaland Governor PB Acharya told reporters as quoted by NDTV, adding the chief minister came to meet him.
The issue of government formation in Nagaland took a new turn with both NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio and outgoing Chief Minister T R Zeliang of the NPF staking claim to form the government with the support of a majority of the MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
State Governor P B Acharya gave both the leaders 48 hours time to submit the signatures of the MLAs supporting them.
Earlier in the day, the governor said the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Rio, who claimed the support of 32 MLAs, had the majority and should form the government.
After meeting Zeliang, Acharya told reporters that Rio and Zeliang have claimed to have majority support, but "I have not invited anyone to form the government as of now. I have given them 48 hours time to submit the signatures of the elected members supporting them".
The newly elected MLAs of alliance partners NDPP, BJP and others would meet on Monday, 5 February to elect senior NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio as their leader.
NDPP secretary general Abu Metha said the coalition is proposed to be named the People's Democratic Alliance.
"The first sitting of MLAs of the alliance partners would be held on Monday to officially elect Rio as the leader," Metha said.
Rio is a three-time chief minister and a senior leader of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP).
NDPP chief Neiphiu Rio on Sunday, 4 March, said that he is confident of forming the government in Nagaland adding, that he would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Rio, a three-time chief minister and a senior leader of the NDPP, an ally of the BJP, staked claim earlier in the day to form a coalition government in Nagaland saying he has the support of 32 MLAs.
BJP's Himanta Biswa Sarma, along with National BJP General Secretary (Northeast in-charge) Ajay Jamwal met NDPP's Neiphiu Rio in Dimapur to discuss formation of government in Nagaland.
Arun Singh, National General Secretary of the BJP, told ANI on Tuesday, 6 March, that the legislature party leader Y Patton and 12 MLAs, along with the party state president, would meet with Padmanabha Acharya, the Governor of Nagaland, outside the Governor House in Kohima to discuss the formation of the new governmen,
After meeting with the governor of Nagaland, Padmanabha Acharya, the BJP has given him a letter that contains the vote of 12 MLAs that support NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio as a chief ministerial candidate for Nagaland, Union Minister JP Nadda told ANI.
Confident of his win, Rio had earlier stated that he would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his government – which is likely to be held on 7 or 8 March.
According to media reports, Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang has resigned, with NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio set to become the new CM with the backing of the BJP.
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya has appointed Neiphiu Rio as the CM of the state under clause (1) of Article 164 of the Constitution. The Governor has also requested Rio to prove his majority on the floor of the House on or before 16 March, reported ANI.
The Governor has also accepted the resignation submitted by CM TR Zeliang.
Preparations are underway at the capital of Kohima, for Nagaland’s CM designate Neiphiu Rio to be sworn into office.
The Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya will oversee the swearing-in, administering the oath of office to Neiphiu Rio and the 11 other council ministers.
Y Patton, the present leader of BJP Legislature Party, is likely to become the new deputy chief minister of Nagaland. Including Rio and Pattion, a total of 12 ministers will be inducted into the cabinet.
India Today reported that other MLAs from the NDPP who are likely to be inducted into the cabinet include S Pangnyu Phom, P Paiwang Konyak, H Tovihoto Ayemi, and T Imna Along.
Newly-elected Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma arrives in Kohima, along with Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav.
The swearing in ceremony for the new Chief Minister of Nagaland and 11 other cabinet ministers begins with the Governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya, administering the oath of office to Neiphiu Rio and the 11 other council ministers.
BJP chief Amit Shah, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu, Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal, Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma, Kiren Rijiju, Nirmala Sitharaman and others attended the ceremony.
Neiphiu Rio takes oath as Nagaland’s Chief Minister at the ceremony in Kohima, on 8 March. Rio is heading the 'People's Democratic Alliance' government in partnership with the BJP in the state.
BJP's Y Patton was administered the oath as the Deputy Chief Minister by the governor.
Ten other ministers were also administered the oath of office. The ten included five from the BJP, three from the Nationalist Democratic Progresstive Party (NDPP), an independent and a JD(U) MLA.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union minister Kiren Rijiju, BJP president Amit Shah and the party general secretary Ram Madhav were present at the swearing-in ceremony.
The outgoing chief minister T R Zeliang was also present at the function.
Neiphiu Rio, on 8 March, took oath to become the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the fourth time. The Nagaland Governor has asked Rio to prove his majority on the floor of the House on or before 16 March.
Rio heads the 'People's Democratic Alliance' government in partnership with the BJP in the state.
BJP's Y Patton was administered the oath as the Deputy Chief Minister by the governor.
Ten other ministers were also administered the oath of office. The ten included five from the BJP, three from the Nationalist Democratic Progresstive Party (NDPP), an independent and a JD(U) MLA.
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