Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party’s Neiphiu Rio on Saturday tendered his resignation as Chief Minister of Nagaland to Governor La Ganesan and staked claim to form the new government in the state.

The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-Bharatiya Janata Party retained power in the Nagaland election, with the two parties having secured 37 seats in the 60-member assembly, as per the data by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday. Nagaland political stalwart and its longest-serving chief minister Neiphiu Rio is set to assume office for a fifth consecutive term after the convincing win.

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With the results declared for all 60 seats, the NDPP-BJP alliance have crossed the halfway mark and is poised to form the government in Nagaland with the NDPP winning 25 and BJP securing victory on 12 seats.

The newbie Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), which contested at 15 assembly constituencies also managed to open their account by securing the win on two seats. The Naga Peoples Front has also won two seats.

As per the Election Commission of India, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has won 7 seats while Janata Dal (United) one seat.

“National People’s Party won 5 seats, and independent has secured four seats in the state,” ECI said.

However, history was scripted in Nagaland when the state elected its first women legislators in its 60 years of statehood. The state, which has had 13 Assemblies so far, never had a woman MLA before Thursday’s result.

The two women lawmakers – Hekhani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling NDPP defeated the sitting MLAs in Western Angami and Dimapur-III seats respectively.

BJP’s performance in the assembly polls in the three northeastern states showed its continued dominance in the region, which was once a Congress stronghold. The outcome meant that there will be no change of government in the three northeastern states in the results declared on Thursday. Assembly polls in the three states were held last month.

The BJP, which had created history in 2018 by wresting the state from Left parties, was tipped to be ahead of its rivals in most exit-poll projections in the state.

The Northeast state saw a triangular contest as Congress and CPIM, which have been arch rivals for years, stitched a pre-poll alliance to defeat the ruling BJP.