Newly elected BJP MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon was today sworn in as the pro-tem speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Governor P B Acharya administered the oath of office and secrecy to Kikon at the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan here today.
As the pro-tem speaker, Kikon will be chairing the first day of the Budget session of the Assembly on March 13, with the members of the NDPP-led People's Democratic Alliance (PDA) on the Treasury bench and the Naga People's Front (NPF) legislators on the opposition bench.
The House will witness MLAs occupying the opposition bench after four years.
In 2014, eight legislators of the opposition Congress, during a show of strength, pledged support for T R Zeliang, the then leader of the House, rendering the 12th Nagaland Assembly opposition-less.
The Congress legislators later joined the Zeliang-led Naga People's Front (NPF).
This time, however, the NPF, which had ruled the state for the past 15 years, will play the role of Opposition.
Zeliang, while accepting defeat, told mediapersons recently that the NPF will fulfill its responsibilities as a "constructive Opposition" in the Assembly.
The first day of the session will witness the election of a new Speaker and administering of oath to the members of the House, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said yesterday.
In the recently concluded Nagaland Assembly elections, the NDPP-BJP alliance won 30 seats. The alliance, however, garnered the support of a JD(U) MLA and an Independent legislator, taking the tally to 32.
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