Dimapur, July 16 (EMN): Recently appointed – under quite controversial circumstances, it must be said – as the chairman of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), Kuzholuzo Nienu on Sunday preached peace among the warring DAN legislators caught between a tussle for the seat of chief minister between TR Zeliang and Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu.
“In the hope of reconciliation and to further strengthen the DAN alliance, the chief minister along with the legislators and its party functionaries on 13th July 2017, had agreed to induct one more minister and two parliamentary secretaries from among the four BJP MLAs, this I believe is a clear indication of strengthening the alliance”, he said in a statement issued today.
The other “step towards reconciliation”, according to him, was completed by way of revoking all the ten suspended members including Neiphiu Rio MP Lok Sabha’. “Therefore, at this juncture when both groups are trying to embrace reconciliation in its true spirit, I sincerely appeal to both the camps and any coalition party such as NCP, JDU, BJP and NPF not to issue any provocative statement which may affect the progress of the reconciliation process”.
According to him, ‘the sudden political development which erupted on 7th July has most regrettably shaken the entire Nagas and took us all by surprise’. Azo went to the extent of apologising “on behalf of the DAN legislators and as the chairman DAN”, to all the sections of the people for the on-going political disturbances.
In a separate statement, the government’s spokesperson, Yitachu claimed that the NPF was open to total reconciliation, though not inclined to ‘place in the public domain the internal matters of the party.
“In the present scenario, the leader of the house is Dr Shürhozelie by virtue of being the chief minister and there is no vacancy for the chief minister’s post. There is no leader of opposition because it is an opposition-less government. Even if there is an opposition party in the Assembly, if the number of MLAs is less than 1/6 of the total number of MLAs, one cannot be termed as a leader of opposition.
“That is why in the 12th House with 8 Congress opposition MLAs, their legislature party leader could not be termed as leader of opposition and was not accorded any official status, but only referred to as Congress legislature party leader”, he stated.
Yitachu claimed that the issue which has now reached the governor’s office could have been solved within the NPF party. “Both Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu and TR Zeliang are members of NPF and their differences should be decided in the party forum first”.
He stated that Liezietsu was “forced” to be the chief minister. “On 26-05-2017 the DAN Legislators meeting unanimously endorsed the view that Dr Shürhozelie, chief minister should become a member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly and work together as a solid team to facilitate the same”.
‘Constitutionally and legally’, Shürhozelie still enjoys absolute majority in the House, because, NPF alone commands 47 members in the House of 60, the statement read. “The confidence motion would put the NPF MLAs where they could be disqualified if they voted against the party whip.
“The MLAs are being misguided to say that the Speaker’s office will not disqualify them. However, the Court is at our door-step and their disqualification will become imminent if the matter is taken to Court because the Constitution and the law of the land is supreme”.
