The new Nagaland government led by NDPP and BJP is likely to be sworn in on March 7.

Newly elected NDPP MLAs met in Kohima and elected Neiphiu Rio as the leader of the legislature party. Rio, who is the longest serving chief minister of the state, is all set to retain his office.

Soon Rio will visit New Delhi where he will meet the central leaders of BJP. A senior NDPP leader who does not want to be named told ET, “Rio is elected as legislature party leader. He will be sworn in on March 7. In a couple of days, there will be a joint meeting of BJP and NDPP MLAs.”

The alliance of BJP and NDPP romped back to power in Nagaland. The BJP has won 12 seats while its ally NDPP wrested 25. NDPP contested 40 seats in the 60-member assembly while BJP contested 20.

For the second consecutive term, Congress could not win a single seat in Nagaland. While independent wrested four seats, Janta Dal United won one seat, Lok Janshakti party (Ram Vilas) won two seats.

Naga People’s Front (NPF) won two seats, National People’s Party (NPP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) won five and seven seats, respectively. The Republican Party of India (Athawale) won two seats.

In 2018, NDPP won 18 seats, BJP got 12 seats. Rio was first elected to the state assembly on a Congress ticket from Northern Angami-II constituency in 1989 and became minister of state. He wrested the seat again in 1993. In 1998 he became the Home minister and resigned from the post in 2022 over the vexed Naga issue.Rio resigned from Congress and joined NPF and won the seat with NPF ticket in 2023. He became the chief minister for the first time. Rio served as chief minister for four terms. In 2014 he contested Lok Sabha polls and entered national politics. In 2018 Rio again became chief minister.

NPF is in alliance with NDPP and together with BJP is running an all-party opposition-less United Democratic Alliance (UDA) government in the state. In 2021 Nagaland became opposition- less with NPF joined the government.