Salhoutuonuo Kruse Gets Inducted in the Cabinet as the First Woman Minister in Nagaland

On Tuesday, Salhoutuonuo Kruse wins in the Nagaland Assembly election 2023. She becomes the first woman minister in the cabinet for the state.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: March 08, 2023

Salhoutuonuo Kruse became the first woman to have won and been elected in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly as per the recent polls. And now she takes a stride further and takes an oath as the first woman minister of Nagaland at the age of 56. The ceremony took place on Tuesday, wherein Kruse pledged as the first cabinet minister of the state in the honorable presence of the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Salhoutuonuo Kruse won the Nagaland Assembly election in 2023 as a representative from the NDPP (National Democratic Progressive Party). She won by seven votes from the Western Angami seat. Hekani Jakhalu on the other hand, won by more than 1,500 votes the Dimapur-III seat, is also from the NDPP. Thus, Kruse and Jakhalu both were victorious. Since only 12 members could be included in the cabinet, Kruse was the one selected and not Jakhalu from the party.

Salhoutuonuo Kruse was grateful to God and conveyed her gratitude towards the holy power. She also expressed her happiness in a statement after the ceremony saying that she will serve the people to the best of her abilities. The cabinet of CM Neiphiu Rio has 5 ministers from the BJP and 7 from NDPP. Other members from the NDPP are Metsubo Jamir, G Kaito Aye, CL John, and KG Kenye, and those from BJP are Temjen Imna Along, Jacob Zhimomi, P Bashangmonba Chang, and P Paiwang Konyak.

The first Nagaland woman cabinet minister also spoke to journalists and said she was happy about the opportunity. Kruse also had a special message for women. Here she said that she will encourage women to be hardworking, sincere, and brave to gain what they have not yet gained. Following her victory in the Nagaland election, she thanked people for the opportunity. Kruse also thanked her supporters and said she will be meeting them after she collects the election certificate. She said that she will pray with her supporters together.