KOHIMA, Feb 4 - Former Speaker of the Nagaland Assembly, Imtiwapang Aier, today filed his nomination for the post of the speaker of the House, election to which will be held on February 7.
The name of Aier, a Naga People�s Front (NPF) legislator, was proposed by MLAs Chotisug Sazo and Khriehu Liezietsu, who belong to his party, before Assembly Secretary PJ Antony.
With Aier filing his nomination, the election to the post of the Speaker will be a straight fight between him and incumbent Deputy Speaker Sharingain Longkumer, who is the consensus candidate of the ruling People�s Democratic Alliance. Longkumer had filed his nomination on Monday.
A candidate can withdraw his name between 1 pm and 3 pm on Wednesday.
The post of the Speaker of the Assembly fell vacant after the death of incumbent Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshu on December 30 last year following prolonged illness.
In the 60-member House, the functional strength of ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) is 20, while that of its ally, BJP, is 12. � PTI
