Even as the stage is set for the swearing in of Neiphiu Rio as the Chief Minister of Nagaland for a 5th term in the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, the state is waiting to know who their Deputy Chief Minister will be. Will it be a second term as Dy CM for Y.Patton or will Jacob Zhimomi be elevated to the position of Dy CM this time, is the big question.

Speculations are doing the rounds of the newly elected BJP candidates splitting into two groups and camping.

NEDA convenor and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and NDPP leader and Nagaland CM designate Neiphiu Rio is travelling to New Delhi tomorrow to meet the central leadership and discuss the issue and pick a name for the office of Deputy CM before the swearing in on March 7. CM Sarma and Rio are also expected to discuss the portfolios for the other MLAs to be sworn in on March 7 as part of Rio’s next government.

Patton is a 4-time MLA from the 37 Tyui seat. He won the seat in 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2023. This time, Patton defeated Senchumo Lotha of JD-U by 8841 votes.

Jacob Zhimomi is the Minister of Public Health Engineering Department in the outgoing Rio government. He won the just concluded Nagaland elections from Ghaspani -I. He has won the seat for the third consecutive time having won the seat in 2013, 2018 and 2023.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, CM Sarma and other senior BJP leaders from Delhi and the region will attend the swearing in ceremony in Kohima.