Shurhozelie Liezitsu: Political heavyweight is next Nagaland Chief Minister

Kohima: Shurhozelie Liezitsu, who has been selected as the consensus candidate to be the next Chief Minister of Nagaland, has a political career spanning over four decades since he was first elected to the state assembly in 1969.

The 81-year-old Liezitsu is also one of the founding members of first regional party in Nagaland.

He began his political career as a member of Nagaland Legislative Assembly in 1969 from northern Angami-I under Kohima district.

He has served the office eight times, holding different portfolios, including education and planning.

He was the Minister for Higher education till 2013. He refused to contest the state Assembly elections in 2013, allowing his son Khriehu Liezietsu to contest the polls successfully.

An eminent scholar, Mr Liezitsu is one of the most decorated educationists in the Angami literature (the native language of the Angami tribe).

Nagaland has been in turmoil since January after the NPF-led government decided to hold local body elections in 12 towns across the state. Three persons were killed following clashes between police and civilians.

On February 15, 42 of the 49 legislators unanimously supported Mr Shurhozelie as their new legislature party leader to break the deadlock between the agitating tribal groups and the government.

For more than two weeks, the government machinery in Nagaland has been in a state of limbo following an indefinite shutdown.