Neiphiu Rio resigns from Lok Sabha

Guwahati,March 1. 2018:

Three-time chief minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, who has been recently elected unopposed in Nagaland Assembly elections, has resigned from his Lok Sabha seat.

The resignation of 67 year old Rio has been accepted by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

He was declared winner from the Northern Angami-II assembly seat in Kohima district earlier this month after his rival withdrew his nomination.

Rio has quit the Naga People's Front, the party he had formed after leaving the Congress in 2002, and joined a new party-Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) to contest the assembly polls held on February 27. The NDPP has tied up with the BJP and is contesting in 40 seats in the 60 member assembly, while the BJP is fighting in the remaining 20 seats. Results of the polls will be declared on March 3.

Rio was the chief minister of Nagaland for three terms 2003-08, 2008-13 and 2013-14. He was elected from the lone Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland in 2014.