Nagaland: Will bring transparency in governance, says Rio

Neiphiu Rio, who is set to take over again as the next Chief Minister of Nagaland, on Sunday said that his priority would be to bring transparency in governance in the "troubled" state.

Rio, who floated the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) just ahead of the assembly elections, had cobbled a pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The NDPP got 17 seats while the BJP got 12. The Janata Dal United (JD-U), which is a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner and has won one seat in the state, has already pledged its support to Rio, and so has the sole Independent MLA.

This adds up to 31 seats -- over half the number required to form a government in a House of 60 seats.

"It is not a magic. Magic is the people. They supported, they gave the mandate. I thank the people... It (voters' confidence in his party) is overwhelming and people are looking forward to a change," Rio said while speaking with NDTV news channel after he met state Governor P.B. Acharya to state claim to form the next government.

The former Chief Minister said he has to "clean up the mess for a good governance and bring a transparency in governance."

"In this troubled state there are many things which you can do and there are many things also which you can't do.

"But with my past experience we hope to bring new change, innovations. Our two main priorities are the (resolution of) political issues and the other one is development agenda of our honourable Prime Minister," Rio said.

He said that he would invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to his oath taking ceremony.

He also thanked the JD-U and Independent MLAs, who he said "came on their own (to support him)".

--IANS

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