S C Jamir said on Sunday he would resign as Nagaland Chief Minister and Pradesh Congress Committee president on Monday in the wake of the Congress debacle in the assembly polls, paving the way for formation of a coalition government in the state by the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN).
"I will resign tomorrow after counting for the remaining two constituencies is over and would prefer to sit in the opposition respecting the people's verdict," Jamir said.
The newly elected MLAs would meet soon but there was no possibility of staking claim for forming a government unless there was 'committed support' from other parties, Jamir told reporters.
Out of 58 results declared so far, Congress got 21 while the DAN constituents bagged 27 seats (Nagaland People Front - 19, BJP - 7, and Samata Party - 1).
Owning the moral responsibility for the defeat, the Chief Minister said "The election was not free and fair and rather it was a war between Jamir and NSCN(I-M) which the later won."
"I congratulate them and hope with the same zeal they will (NSCN) pursue their goal to work out an honourable political solution for the state," he said.
"They (NSCN) deployed armed cadres to coerce voters and lastly resorted to booth capturing while the NSCN(I-M) commander-in-chief was seen moving openly with arms intimidating voters in Ghaspani II constituency," he alleged.
{{/usCountry}}"They (NSCN) deployed armed cadres to coerce voters and lastly resorted to booth capturing while the NSCN(I-M) commander-in-chief was seen moving openly with arms intimidating voters in Ghaspani II constituency," he alleged.
{{/usCountry}}"My calculation was upset by interference of the NSCN (I-M) and the special feature of this election was to dethrone my government in which they succeeded," a sombre-looking Jamir said.