Cong MLA elected as new deputy speaker of Nagaland Assembly

Kohima: Congress MLA Imtikumzuk was on Tuesday elected unopposed as the new Deputy Speaker of Nagaland Assembly amid a walk out by BJP legislators.

Assembly Speaker Chotisuh Sazo announced that since the Assembly Secretariat had received only one nomination, he declared Imtikumzuk elected unopposed.

The post fell vacant after the elevation of Independent MLA Levi Rengma as Parliamentary Secretary from the post of Deputy Speaker on April 27 last. He resigned from the post on April 26.

Before the Speaker could make any declaration, BJP Legislature Party leader

Paiwang Konyak said "a member of the Assembly belonging to the Congress Party though presently under suspension by the party for joining the DAN government

is projected as the lone candidate for the post of Deputy Speaker."

BJP, he said, which was the partner of the DAN could not support this candidate and the Party High command in Delhi was also did not agree to this decision of the coalition partner (NPF). And for this reason BJP MLAs had decided to abstain

from voting, he added.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister T R Zeliang felicitated Imtikumzuk and hoped that he would discharge his responsibilities as the Deputy Speaker without partiality.