Taditui Rangkau Zeliang, popularly known as TR Zeliang, who was also the former United Democratic Alliance Chairman and former chief minister of Nagaland twice, was sworn in as one of the Deputy Chief Ministers of Nagaland on 7 March.

Zeliang won the recently concluded election to the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) with a huge margin of 9639 votes against Kingudi Joseph and K Kengim Kulimbe from the 7 Peren Assembly Constituency (AC).

Zeliang was first elected to the NLA from 6 Tening AC in 1989 and had been victorious since then. Later in the year 2008, he started contesting from 7 Peren AC and had won continuously in every election including the recent election.

Zeliang, a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (2004-2008) and considered one of the most dynamic leaders among the Zeliangrong tribe from Nagaland, the people of Peren hoped that his experienced leadership will be fruitful, where development of various kinds will take place, bringing about positive changes with his conferment of the post of Deputy Chief Minister, Planning and Transformation and National Highway portfolio in the current 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

Underpinning their aspirations on Zeliang, the people of Peren town hoped that the issues of water scarcity, good health care system, uninterrupted power supply, free food grains distributed equally as per government allocations, employment opportunities in both private and government sectors, good and pliable road connectivity to all the recognised villages of the constituency are addressed.

Further, during his campaign for the recently concluded election, Zeliang mentioned his plans and visions including making the New Peren headquarters a model township, developing more efficient and better road connections in Peren with neighbouring states like Manipur and Assam, transforming Peren town into a cultural hub, etc.

Also read: Mhathung Yanthan sworn-in as Protem Speaker by Nagaland Governor