Newly appointed Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio on Thursday declared that his government will not appoint parliamentary secretaries.
Neiphiu Rio after assuming office on Thursday said this while stating that his government, the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) will not go ‘against law of the land’.
He also said he had discussed the matter with legal experts and the alliance partner, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Interacting with media after attending the first Cabinet meeting at Nagaland Secretariat in Kohima on Thursday evening, Neiphiu Rio also announced that BJP MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon would be pro tem Speaker of the newly-constituted Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Rio also stressed that the new government would play its role as an ‘active facilitator’ and work towards bringing all groups together.
While saying that his government’s top priority is finding an early solution to the Naga political issue, the Chief Minister appealed to groups still outside the negotiation process to join it for ushering in an amicable solution acceptable to all stakeholders.
Rio further informed the media that a Political Affairs Committee would be constituted for facilitating the peace process.
On sharing of Cabinet berths, the Chief Minister said two ministerial berths of Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) were allotted to Janata Dal-United (JD-U) and Independent MLAs respectively.
Rio further said that he had a brief meeting with Meghalaya Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma and state NPP president Ato Yepthomi at the swearing-in ceremony, and that ‘the duo assured him support’.