Neiphiu Rio takes oath as Nagaland chief minister

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) leader Neuphiu Rio has been sworn in as the chief minister of northeast India’s mountainous state of Nagaland. Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Y Patton also took oath as the deputy of Rio.

The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Acharya. Traditionally, the swearing-in ceremonies were used to take place at the Raj Bhavan’s (Governor House) Durbar Hall.

However, this time the venue was the historic Kohima Local Ground. It is the place where the former Indian president Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan announced the conferment of statehood to Nagaland on December 1, 1963.

The oath-taking ceremony was attended by India’s Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State (Home) Kiren Rijiju, BJP National President Amit Shah, BJP National General Secretary Ram Madhav, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.

Earlier, Neuphio Rio served as Nagaland Chief Minister for three separate terms - 2003-08, 2008-13 and 2013-14.