Principal Correspondent
Kohima, January 10
Ruling NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu today said the present political imbroglio within the party legislators is a shameful act while attributing it as the creation of the ambitious legislators.
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference in the party office here this evening, Dr. Shürhozelie said the Naga people voted the NPF to power to deliver goods and now it is for the people to judge on the entire episode.
Acknowledging that the rebellious move had been there right after former Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio vacated the seat on being elected to Lok Sabha, he said, “We have been trying to make our legislators understand. The party is happy that many have been firm with the present leadership (TR Zeliang) but few others without having proper knowledge have joined the dissident group.”
He also alleged that the dissident group has hijacked some of the legislators while on their way to Kohima.
Stating that the NPF does not want the confusion created by the internal affairs of the party legislators to prolong, he said Chief Minister TR Zeliang therefore submitted his paper to the Governor requesting him to hold a special session of the Assembly for trial of strength.
“It will be the best course to decide the fate of this government,” he said while citing that even in the SR Bommai’s case, the Supreme Court had ruled that the strength of the leader can only be decided in the Assembly.
Supporting the request of the CM for holding special Assembly session, the NPF president said, “The Governor being a thorough man with the affairs of the North East, we believe that he would not make a mistake but act as per the law of the land.” “We can’t say how soon the Assembly will be summoned,” he said while adding that only way to solve the present crisis is voting in the Assembly. He also claimed that once the session is held the confusion hovering upon the people of the State on the choice of leadership would be cleared.
On the charges that TR Zeliang also has a camp of some of the NPF legislators, Dr Shürhozelie accepted it but blamed the rival camp for the same, saying that it is because the dissident group has been using force and they do not hesitate to kidnap and harm. So the NPF legislators in TR Zeliang’s camp are doing so at their own volition, he added.
He also maintained that as the president of the ruling party, he has been asking the incumbent legislators to attend their respective office and deliver goods to the people.
He also narrated the history on how former Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had gone to Lok Sabha while remaining adamant to his own decision despite the NPF legislators and party not agreeing to his proposal to be Lok Sabha candidate.
Nonetheless, he said after Rio’s election a successor had to be elected for smooth transition of leadership. But, he alleged that Rio made a ‘strange proposal’ to make Noke as the CM but it was turned down by the latter himself rejected it on health grounds.
Thereafter, he said names of Imkong L. Imchen, Kaito and TR Zeliang floated. “I rejected Imkong’s name on the grounds of his pending charges while Kaito and Zeliang declared that they would go with the decision of the core group constituted by the president and subsequently majority of the legislators wanted TR Zeliang.”
Meanwhile, he maintained the incumbent NPF-led DAN government led by Chief Minister TR Zeliang is comfortable with the support of 16 NPF legislators (including Speaker in case of tie in Assembly) and other alliance partners.
In the House of 60 members, NPF has a total of 38 members supported by pre-poll alliance partners – four BJP and one JD(U) while one NCP and 8 Independent MLAs are also extending outside support to NPF. Opposition Congress has 8 members.
The dissident group is claiming to have 26 legislators, including three BJP, but alliance partners of NPF-led DAN cannot extend support to the dissident group as they are pre-poll ally of NPF, he claimed.
He said out of 22 NPF dissident legislators, the party has already stripped nine of them, who would not be having any voting rights in all political or legislature party forums, except the right on the floor of the Assembly in accordance with party whips, which would attract expulsion, while the alliance partners and Independent MLAs would support the incumbent Chief Minister.
“The Chief Minister will have the support of 29 legislators, including 15 NPF, six alliance partners and eight Independent in the House while some of the legislators within the dissident groups would also surely vote for the incumbent leader once in Assembly as they have been presently forced to remain within the dissident camp,” he said.
The NPF president further asserted that if the dissident groups had complaints they should have taken up the matter within the party meeting or parliamentary forum instead of taking up such steps. He also termed the appointment of NPFLP leader Kaito Aye as new leader, Imkong as spokesman and Azo as chief whip as ‘unauthorised and unconstitutional’ and that it will not be recognized by the Assembly.
The NPF president also pooh-poohed the claims of CLP leader Tokheho Yepthomi that both TR and Kaito sides had approached the Congress for formation of the government.
Further, replying to a query on allegation leveled by dissident group on TR Zeliang’s stand over the unresolved Indo-Naga political issue, financial crisis and relationship with the Centre, NPF working president Huska Yepthomi said TR Zeliang is not like a magician like PC Sarkar to resolve the decades-old problem. He has taken charge only in May and how can he solve the Naga political problem in seven months time, he asked. Yepthomi, however, said Rio had reigned for 11 years. The NPF had been giving all support for resolution of the Indo-Naga problem all through and therefore Rio should be questioned for the failure to resolve the problem, Yepthomi stated.
On charges that Zeliang had failed to bring any funds from the Centre and failed to carry forward development works, he said TR Zeliang should not be blamed as during his time he did not receive any money from the Centre. He said the entire deficit of Rs 1234 crore was inherited by Zeliang from Rio.
While on relationship with the Centre, he said the present government is maintaining good relationship with the Centre because of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Nagaland during Horbnill Festival 2014 while the then PM Dr Manmohan Singh did not make any official visit to the State during Rio’s reign.
Working president Apong Pongener and Secretary General KG Kenye also spoke in support of TR Zeliang’s leadership in presence of other NPF Central office bearers.
