T. R. Zeliang


Taditui Rangkau Zeliang is an Indian politician of who served twice as the Chief Minister of Nagaland, a state in India, from May 2014 to February 2017 and from July 2017 to March 2018. A leader of the Naga People's Front, T.R Zeliang took over the reins as Chief Minister of Nagaland following the shift of Neiphiu Rio to national-level politics. T.R Zeliang previously served as a Member of Parliament, representing Nagaland in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament. Currently, he serves as the Leader of the NPF Legislature Party and Leader of Opposition in Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

Early life and education

T. R. Zeliang was born to Rangleu Zeliang at Mbaupunggwa Village under Peren District in 1952. A Zeliang Naga, T. R. Zeliang matriculated from Don Bosco High School in Dibrugarh, Assam and served as the President of Zeliangrong Students Union, General Secretary of Zeliangrong Action Committee and Zeliangrong Youth Organisation while in College. He later joined Politics and became the President of Peren District Youth Congress of the Indian National Congress.

Political career

Zeliang contested the Nagaland Assembly elections of 1982 and 1987 unsuccessfully from 6 Tening Assembly Constituency. He then won from Tening four times in a row beginning with the elections of 1989 as a candidate of the Naga Peoples' Council and subsequently in 1993, 1998 and 2003 as a candidate of the Indian National Congress. He served as Minister of State for Information and Tourism during 1989–90 and as Minister of State for Relief & Rehabilitation from 1994 to 1998. During 1998 – 2003, he was the Minister for Environment and Forests and Geology and Mining under the Ministry of S C Jamir. From 2004 to 2008, he was a Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha from Nagaland. Returning to State politics in 2008, he was Minister for Planning, Geology and Mining, Animal Husbandry and Parliamentary Affairs under the Ministry of Neiphiu Rio. He contested State elections 9 times out of which he lost the first two elections and won the remaining 7. He won the assembly elections of 2008, 2013 and 2018 from Peren.

Chief Minister of Nagaland

T.R Zeliang was the Chief Minister of Nagaland from May 2014 to February 2017 and from July 2017 to March 2018. Currently, with 26 Legislators in a House of 60, T.R Zeliang leads the Opposition Party, the Naga Peoples' Front, the single largest Party in Nagaland.