Rio government averts crisis

The Nagaland government averts a crisis after dissidents meet Governor K Shankaranarayanan for a change in leadership, reports Rahul Karmakar.

The Neiphiu Rio-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government averted a crisis on Saturday after dissidents met Governor K Shankaranarayanan for a change in leadership.

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On Friday night the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) submitted a memorandum to the Governor accusing the DAN government of being an “extra-constitutional organisation” and making a “mockery of the rules of law”.

Trouble for Rio cropped up earlier this week after suspended Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF) leaders K Therie and Z Obed submitted a list of 22 MLAs to the Governor, seeking “an alternative government”.

Rio heads the NPF, which has 32 legislators in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly, four of whom were suspended for anti-party activities.

“Our house is in order,” Rio said after he met the Governor with a statement signed by 26 NPF legislators expressing their loyalty to him.