Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio distributes portfolios, keeps finance for self

Kohim: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday allocated portfolios to his two deputy CMs and nine ministers.

Rio also appointed 24 MLAs as ‘advisors’ to various departments in his opposition less government.

Rio kept for himself the portfolios such as finance, personnel & administrative reforms and others not allocated to any minister.

Deputy Chief Minister Taditui Rangkau Zeliang was allocated the planning & transformation and national highway departments while the second Deputy CM Yanthungo Patton was given home and border affairs departments.

Salhoutuonuo Kruse, the first woman minister in the state, was allocated the women's resources development and horticulture departments.

While the parliamentary affairs department went to K G Kenye, the health & family welfare department was given to P Paiwang Konyak.

While the NDPP-BJP alliance returned to power for the second time in a row in the northeastern state, the NCP, NPP, Naga People’s Front, RPI (A), LJP (Ram Vilas), JD(U) and Independent MLAs extended support to it for an opposition less government.

According to the rule, Nagaland with a 60-member assembly cannot have more than 12 ministers including the chief minister.

To accommodate all parties, Rio appointed 24 ‘advisors’ and allocated them various departments such as tribal affairs, agriculture, municipal affairs, labour, and industries & commerce.

Senior NDPP MLA Sharingain Longkumer was not given any portfolio and he is likely to be the Speaker which he was in the previous assembly.

The assembly election was held on February 27 while the results were declared on March 2.