Staff Reporter
Dimapur, July 18 (EMN): Inspite of its lesser numbers in the Assembly with nearly 80% of its legislators against the present chief minister who are also backed by almost all the independents, the NPF party today issued a whip for its MLAs prior to the floor test on Wednesday.
The chief whip of the party Kiyanelie Peseyie has strongly instructed the NPF MLAs to vote in favour in case of a confidence motion and to vote against the motion in case of a no confidence motion against the government.
It may be mentioned that the rival MLAs had in their letter to the Governor earlier this month has stated TR Zeliang is the leader of the NPF Legislature Party and that he was also appointed their chief whip.
The proceedings during the floor test will only tell whether the Speaker continues to accept Kiyanelie Peseyie as the official chief whip of the NPF or TR Zeliang as the new chief whip.
In normal circumstances any vote in the floor of the house against the party whip invites disqualification proceedings as per the Tenth Schedule of the constitution also known as the anti-defection law.
As of filing this report, there were hardly 10 NPF MLAs that were with the chief minister along with 1 independent since TR Zeliang's group had claimed around 37 NPF MLAs and 7 Independents with the latest addition of 4 BJP MLAs making a total of 48 MLAs in current house of 58 excluding the Speaker.
