The Nagaland state unit of National People’s Party (NPP) on Friday took an expected u-turn and decided to join the ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
Earlier, the Nagaland state unit of the NPP had expressed its willingness to stick to its old alliance – the Naga People’s Front (NPF), the party.
With this, the strength of the Neiphiu Rio led People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government has risen to 34 MLAs comprising of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) with 18 MLAs, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having 12 legislators, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) having one, one Independent and now two MLAs of the NPP.
In a press note issued by NDPP media and communications committee, the party expressed its gratitude to NPP chief and Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma and state NPP president, Ato Yepthomi for supporting the leadership of Rio and joining the coalition government.
The press note also congratulated Neiphiu Rio-led PDA government on assuming office with support from Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
The NDPP through the press statement also expressed ‘profound gratitude’ to Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, BJP president Amit Shah and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav, besides Pema Khandu, Sarbananda Sonowal, N Biren Singh and Conrad Sangma, Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya respectively, for attending the swearing-in ceremony and extending their support to the new PDA government in the State.