History beckons Zeliangrong politician
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Dimapur, May 11 2014 : If TR Zeliang succeeds Neiphiu Rio as the chief minister of Nagaland later this month he is going to be the first Zeliangrong politician to go this far.

At the moment, Manipur deputy chief minister Gaikhangam tops the list among the Zeliangrong politicians.

Of the 38 legislators of the Naga People's Front (NPF), 27 are said to be fervently supporting TR Zeliang to occupy the Nagaland chief minister's seat.

The other contender is Noke Wangnao, hailing from a Konyak tribe from Mon district who has the backing of just few MLAs.

A leading Dimapur based newspaper had already screamed with the headline "TR Zeliang set to become the next chief minister of Nagaland" .

A former Zeliangrong student union leader, TR Zeliang, 62 years old, won the first assembly election in 1982 as an Independent from Tening assembly constituency of Nagaland bordering Manipur.

He is a Graduate from Kohima Arts College.

He was a Rajya Sabha MP as recent as two years ago and contesting as the NPF candidate won the Peren assembly seat in the 2013 Nagaland assembly election.

He is presently a cabinet minister in charge of Planning and other departments.

It may be noted here that two months ago when chief minister Neiphiu Rio's name was cleared as the consensus candidate of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) in which the Naga People's Front (NPF) is the principal constituent, for the Lok Sabha poll in Nagaland, names of Home minister Kaito, TR Zeliang and NPF chief Shurhozelie were speculated.

However, after the poll the names of Nagaland senior minister Noke Wangnao cropped up as one of the contenders for the top post while the names of Home minister Kaito and Shurhozelie were erased from the speculation board.

There are altogether 38 NPF legislators in the 60-member Nagaland legislative assembly.

Neiphiu Rio has been the chief minister since the year 2003.Both Neiphiu Rio and TR Zeliang were once the trusted lieutenants of Nagaland political stalwart SC Jamir during the Congress party's hey days in Nagaland.

Ever since Rio ditched Jamir to revive the NPF in 2002, TR Zeliang has been the trusted aide of Rio.

NPF dethroned the Jamir led Congress government in the 2003 assembly election and Neiphiu Rio became the chief minister.

Later, TR Zeliang was sent to the Parliament as the Rajya Sabha member by the Rio led DAN government.

After a one-term stint as an MP, TR Zeliang returned to the state politics and contested again in the 2013 Nagaland assembly election.

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