Ahead of 2018 polls, Nagaland CM TR Zeliang inducts 6 new ministers

KOHIMA: Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang on Saturday inducted six new faces into his cabinet in the place of six others who had been removed recently.

The new ministers were also sworn in and Governor PB Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to them at Raj Bhavan here.

Portfolios of the new ministers are yet to be announced.

The six cabinet ministers are NPF MLAs SI Jamir, Y Vikheho Swu, P Longon, Kuzholuzo Nienu and CL John and P Paiwang Konyak of the BJP which is a part of the government in Nagaland.

Since November 2015, all the MLAs of the state are part of the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland, led by the Naga People's Front (NPF).

The present strength of Assembly is 59 while one is vacant. The term of the Nagaland Assembly is due to expire in March 2018.

Zeliang had dropped four ministers on December 13 and two more last night. One of them belonged to the BJP.

They were removed for allegedly campaigning to topple the Zeliang government even after signing of the memorandum of reconciliation between the two factions of the NPF on December 9, sources in the ruling party said.

The internal crisis in the NPF began in July after 36 MLAs joined Zeliang's camp to oust then Chief Minister Liezietsu, and the two camps signed a document to reconcile and re-unite on December 9.