Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang inducts 18 NPF leaders as parliamentary secretaries

Kohima: Nagaland chief minister TR Zeliang on Tuesday inducted 26 parliamentary secretaries and nine advisors. The parliamentary secretaries include 18 of the ruling Naga People’s Front and seven Independents.

Veteran BJP legislator P Paiwang Konyak, who was a cabinet minister in the dismissed Shurhozelie Liezietsu-led government, was also inducted as parliamentary secretary.

The chief minister also appointed eight senior NPF legislators as his advisors with cabinet rank in the Opposition-less Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government.

Zeliang said he will be distributing the portfolios to his newly sworn-in council of ministers, parliamentary secretaries and advisors in a day or two.

Zeliang was expelled from the NPF for six years after taking oath as chief minister on Wednesday, hours after the governor dismissed Liezietsu for failing to prove majority in the assembly.

Zeliang on Friday won the floor test, getting the support of 36 NPF, four BJP and seven Independent members in the 60-member assembly, where one seat is vacant.

Ten NPF and one Independent members voted against him. Liezietsu was not present in the assembly as he is not a member.