Kohima/Dimapur, March 7: Nagaland chief minister Nei-phiu Rio is likely to expand his ministry by Tuesday to “keep everyone happy” amid hectic lobbying among the coalition partners to garner lucrative portfolios.
Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) spokesperson and a Cabinet minister in the coalition government, K. Therie, told The Telegraph, “There will be some readjustment in the ministry as we have to keep everyone happy.”
The day-old government is already facing a tough time over the distribution of portfolios. According to insiders in the ruling coalition, the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), the BJP is “adamant” to bag finance and even suggested that its legislator and former finance minister Tiameren Aier be given the post. Officially, however, DAN has attributed the delay allocating portfolios to “intense consultations” among allies.
“We have done our bit for the formation of the government — by financing the NPF during polls and then supporting Rio for the chief ministerial post. Now, it is their turn to show that they, too, can make sacrifices for others,” a senior BJP leader said.
There is also a murmur of dissent among the NPF and BJP legislators who found their names missing from the 28-member ministry. There are reportedly several claimants for supply, PWD and rural developments.
To keep their flock together, chief minister Rio and DAN chairman Hokishe Sema held several meetings during the past 24 hours. Adding to the confusion, the two ministers belonging to the Nagaland Democratic Movement (NDM) — Kihoto Hollohon and C. Kipili Sangtam — defected to the NPF.
NDM chief K.L. Chishi had earlier announced that his party would lend outside support to the government. Though the NDM is not immediately withdrawing support, the defection of the two of its members has sown seeds of suspicion among the alliance.