Governor of Nagaland P.B. Acharya administered the oath of office at Raj Bhavan Monday to BJP legislator P. Paiwang Konyak, as cabinet minister after his elevation to cabinet rank from parliamentary secretary. Three cabinet posts remain vacant out of 12.
Paiwang will retain the portfolio transport and Information and Public Relations which he held as parliamentary secretary, till the second phase of induction in May
Later in the afternoon, five were sworn-in as parliamentary secretaries by chief minister T.R.Zeliang at State Banquet Hall Monday.
Of the five the four following independent legislators were sworn-in were: deputy speaker NLA Er. Levi Rengma (Ind), Amenba Yaden (Ind), Y.M. Yollow Konyak (Ind), Toyang Changkong Chang (Ind). The BJP legislator to be sworn-in was Mmhonlumo Kikon.
None of the Congress legislators were present at both functions. Those present included the cabinet ministers, parliamentary secretaries, NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie, party functionaries, all DAN legislators, senior civil and police officials, prominent personalities etc.
Second phase in May first week, says CM: Later, interacting with media after the swearing-in at State Banquet Hall, chief minister T.R Zeliang said induction was being held in a phased manner as decided by the cabinet and that the final would be held in the first week of May.
In view of several aspirants, Zeliang said consultations were continuing and therefore, it was decided to be a phase-wise induction
On Congress joining the government, Zeliang said it would be decided later and for which, no NPF or Congress legislators were inducted Monday .
He said both would work out to finalise who was to be included at the final induction in the first week of May. He also asserted, that some minor changes would be made while reallocating portfolios.
He said that final reallocation of portfolio would also take place in the second phase of induction in May. Till then, he said legislators who were holding portfolios prior to induction would continue to look after them.
On who would replace outgoing NLA deputy speaker Er. Levi Rengma, the chief minister said it would be done when in the budget session in July.
Asked if legislators from Noke-Kaito group would also be included, he said it would depend on the outcome of the ongoing process of reconciliation within NPF which begun Monday evening.
He also said the petition filed by NPF President Dr. Shürhozelie for disqualification of some NPF legislators was pending with the Assembly Speaker but that it could be withdrawn when reconciliation was achieved.
On induction of BJP legislator Mmhonlumo Kikon as parliamentary secretary, who was among three BJP legislators against whom petition for disqualification case was pending in the Supreme Court, the chief minister maintained that since all three BJP MLAs won the case in the High Court, which upheld the merger of NCP with BJP and following the revocation of disqualification by the assembly speaker and Supreme Court not issuing stay on the petition; they were considered valid members of the house.
On the warning by National BJP leaders, that BJP will pull out if Congress joined his government, Zeliang said it may be termed as party-less government but he would term it as opposition-less or consensus government. He said BJP were already in the government and further discussions will be taken.
Zeliang also said NPF party general convention will be held on April 30 as scheduled, in order to fulfil the directives of the ECI.
The chief minister said Noke group has called off their general convention, he was confident that all of them would attend the NPF general convention.
He also disclosed that full budget session will be held in July after Delhi passed the full budget and after NITI Ayog decided how to proceed with the new planning system.