This Article is From Feb 20, 2017

Shurhozelie Liezietsu Set To Be Nagaland's New Chief Minister

Shurhozelie Liezietsu Set To Be Nagaland's New Chief Minister

Shurhozelie Liezietsu is a senior leader of the Naga People's Party.

Kohima: Naga People's Front leader Shurhozelie Liezietsu was on Monday elected the new legislature party leader of the ruling Democratic Alliance to be the new Nagaland Chief Minister. Mr Shurhozelie was elected after Chief Minister TR Zeliang resigned on Sunday night bowing to the demands of protesting tribal groups opposed to his move to hold civic polls with 33 per cent reservation for women.

"Shurhozelie has been unanimously elected the new legislature party leader of the NPF and also of the government," Nagaland's lone Rajya Sabha member KG Kenye told IANS.

"If the Governor is not leaving Kohima for Arunachal Pradesh, we expect Shurhozelie to be sworn in this evening," Mr Kenye said.

Governor PB Acharya holds additional charge of Arunachal Pradesh.

The Governor accepted Mr Zeliang's resignation on Sunday but asked him to continue in office till an alternative arrangement was made.

On February 15, 42 of the 49 legislators unanimously supported Mr Shurhozelie as their new legislature party leader to break the deadlock between the agitating tribal groups and the government.

Mr Shurhozelie has been elected to the Nagaland assembly eight times from Northern Angami assembly constituency.  But he did not contest the 2013 election.

For more than two weeks, the government machinery in Nagaland has been in a state of limbo following an indefinite shutdown.

Nagaland has been in turmoil since January after the NPF-led government decided to hold local body elections in 12 towns across the state.

Three persons were killed following clashes between police and civilians.
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