TR Zeliang was sworn in as the chief minister of Nagaland on July 19 after the Nagaland Governor PB Acharya sacked Shurhozelie Liezietsu, who failed to turn up for the floor test.
The newly appointed CM appointed 9 advisors with cabinet minister rank and 26 parliamentary secretaries, he administered the oath of office in the presence of Assembly Speaker Imtiwapang Aier and senior bureaucrats at the State Banquet Hall on Tuesday evening.
Zeliang has the support 36 NPF legislators, four BJP and seven independent MLAs and he has given some important post to all the MLAs supporting him. His cabinet has 12 ministers including the chief minister. The portfolios the newly appointed advisors and parliamentary secretaries will hold are still to be decided and will be finalized in a few days.
Talking about the MLAs who voted against him moving court against his ministry Zeliang said that “according to the anti- defection law if any member defies the whip, he would directly attract disqualification. If anybody files trial petition before the Speaker, they will be disqualified.” He further added that according to the Nagaland Assembly Anti-Defection rules, the petition can be submitted only after 15 days.
After Zeliang had assumed the office, Naga People’s Front party had expelled 19 MLAs from the party and suspended 10 others after they voted in favor of TR Zeliang during the trust vote including him. Commenting about this Zeliang said that none of the expelled or suspended legislators, including himself, had received any notice or warning.