NPF's Imtiwapang Aier files nomination for Nagaland Assembly

Former speaker of Nagaland Assembly Imtiwapang Aier on Tuesday filed his nomination for the post of the speaker of the House, election to which will be held on February 7.

The name of Aier, a Naga People's Front legislator, was proposed by legislators of his party, Chotisug Sazo and Khriehu Liezietsu before Assembly secretary P J Antony.

With Aier filing his nomination, the election to the post of the speaker will be a straight fight between him and incumbent deputy speaker Sharingain Longkumer, who is the consensus candidate of ruling People's Democratic Alliance.

Longkumer had filed his nomination on Monday.

A candidate can withdraw his name between 1 pm and 3 pm on Wednesday.

The post of the speaker of the Assembly fell vacant after the death of incumbent Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshu on December 30 last year following a prolonged illness.

In the 60-member House, the functional strength of ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is 20 while that of its ally BJP is 12.

Opposition NPF has 25 MLAs and there is one Independent legislator in the House while two seats are vacant.