KOHIMA, March 7 — From a student leader to a trusted lieutenant of Nagaland’s longest serving Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio has seen many ups and downs in his illustrious political career which led him to occupy the top political post in the insurgency-prone state. For the 53-year-old Rio, the ninth Chief Minister of the state, it has been a long road to success since his days as a student leader in 1974.
Son of Guolhulie Rio of Tuophema village in Kohima district and belonging to the Angami Naga tribe, Rio had his early education at various places including Sainik School in Purulia, West Bengal and St Joseph’s College, Darjeeling. His maiden entry into politics came in 1987 when he unsuccessfully contested as an independent in the 6th General Elections.
The success story, however, began in 1989 when he was elected for the first time to the assembly from Northern Angami-11 assembly segment on a Congress ticket. There has been no looking back since then as the promising leader held various portfolios as minister, before being given the coveted Home Ministry portfolio after the last assembly election in 1998. Rio had a narrow escape when his motorcade was ambushed by militants on the Dimapur-Kohima road on May 30, 1998.
Along with K Therie, the then Power minister in the S C Jamir cabinet, Rio developed serious differences with his political mentor and subsequently spearheaded the anti-Jamir drive. He concentrated on an anti-Congress campaign in the run- up to the polls harping on the Pradesh Congress booklet ‘Bedrock of Naga Society’ describing the publication as ‘a total distortion of Naga history and aspirations’. Rio resigned from the Jamir ministry and the Congress party in October last year due to serious differences with Jamir on the Naga political issue and returned on an NPF ticket from his home Northern Angami-11 constituency.
Significantly, Rio spelt out his top most priority in uniting all the Naga non-government organisa-tions including the Naga Ho Ho, the Naga Mother’s Association and the Naga Students Federation in order to solve the vexed Naga problem and bring permanent peace to the state. Father of five sons and one daughter, Rio’s hobbies include music and sports.