Naga CM Zeliang steps down after protracted battle with tribal bodies
Ending more than two weeks of standoff with the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC), Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang resigned from his post on Sunday evening.
The 64-year-old met governor PB Acharya at the Raj Bhawan in Kohima and submitted his resignation, hours after he reached the state capital from Delhi.
Acharya accepted the resignation letter and asked Zeliang to continue in office till his successor is sworn in. Nagaland’s former chief minister Neiphiu Rio is expected to be the next CM.
Earlier, in a letter to all MLAs of his Nagaland Peoples’ Front (NPF) and Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), the coalition he headed, the CM announced his decision to step down. The letter released by Zeliang’s media cell didn’t elaborate on the reasons behind the move.
An emergency meeting of NPF legislators will be held in Kohima on Monday where the new legislature party leader is expected to be elected. This will be followed by a meeting of all DAN legislators. The coalition in Nagaland has 48 NPF MLAs, four from BJP and eight Independents.
“All members are requested to attend the meeting so as to select a consensus leader to ensure smooth transition of office and to provide the best governance to the people of Nagaland,” Zeliang stated. Zeliang was under intense pressure to quit following an ultimatum given by NTAC, an umbrella body of the state’s 16 major tribes. The tribal organisations blamed him for trying to hold municipal polls with 33% reservation for women.