Dimapur, July 15 (EMN): The governor of Nagaland, PB Acharya was on Saturday reported as saying he was convinced “prima facie” that TR Zeliang, who is spearheading a rebellion against the current chief minister Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu, has the ‘clear majority’.
This was contained in a press release issued by Zeliang’s press secretary on Saturday. “DAN chairman and leader, NPF legislature party TR Zeliang along with Lok Sabha MP, Neiphiu Rio and legislators of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, 36 NPF and 7 Independent, today called upon governor PB Acharya at Raj Bhawan and apprised him of the present political imbroglio.
“The 43 legislators while urging the governor to uphold the Constitution brought home the point that the abnormal functioning style of incumbent chief minister was totally unacceptable. Acharya while maintaining that whoever proved majority must run the government said that he was 'convinced prima facie that TR Zeliang has clear majority’. Any chief minister is fine with me provided he has majority support, he added”, the statement read.
Zeliang was also reported as saying that the BJP-NPF Alliance must not be broken for stability and development. “While also calling upon Acharya to direct the chief secretary to immediately stop all appointments and payments besides salaries under the state government, Zeliang termed the termination of legislators, withdrawal of official bungalows and security and asking Legislators to vacate within 1 week was 'unbecoming of a leader.'
“While stating that removal of Independent parliamentary secretaries from office cannot be termed as internal crisis of NPF Party, Zeliang said that this action itself proved that the present crisis involves DAN government”.
He also told the governor that the chief minister’s act of terminating ministers, parliamentary secretaries, advisors and chairmen amounted to influencing his own election prospects, and violation of model code of conduct, in the light of the forthcoming by-elections. “Rio while citing the 'dictatorial and autocratic attitude' of incumbent chief minister, Liezietsu said that 'they cannot run a minority government and keep on taking policy decisions almost every day.' This is not the way a minority government is advised to function, he added,” the statement read.
On reconciliation within the NPF Party, Rio was reported as saying that “Liezietsu does not want to reconcile with anybody, not in the interest of the Party or in the interest of the Naga people”. He was quoted as saying that the revocation of his suspension order was a mockery.
“Such action is simply to wash the eye of the public who do not know the inside story of the party, he added. While maintaining that the present situation was solely the creation of Liezietsu, Rio wandered what reconciliation meant when Liezietsu and his supporters were organizing rallies at Kohima and Chumukedima holding placards with insulting contents”.
A separate statement from Tokheho Yepthomi, the spokesperson of NPF Legislature Party also informed of the legislators’ meeting with the governor. “We the 43 Hon'ble (sic) MLAs do hereby appeal to the esteemed people of Nagaland both individually and collectively to speak out the truth who is in majority and who is in minority as well as who is right and who is wrong without fear or favour.
“A civilized and democratic government is not expected to play a level headed game with fair play. How long is Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu going to hijack the aspiration of the people of Nagaland? Or for that matter, how long are the people of the state going to tolerate such an imposter government, undermining the will of the people?” the statement read.
Meanwhile, a team of 11 NPF party leaders also called on the governor this evening and apprised the latter that the ongoing scuffle for power was an internal party matter. A NPF central leader who was present at the meeting informed that the team had explained to governor PB Acharya that the party was working hard towards finding an amicable solution to the current issue, citing the withdrawal of the suspension order of its 10 MLAs and Lok Sabha MP. They expressed their concern that the present issue, if it continues, would destabilize the ongoing peace process.
The governor was said to have conveyed that the leaders must come to an understanding. He said to have strongly supported the party's move for reconciliation but at the same time, asserted that he would uphold the Constitution.
The party leader said the court's stay order on the governor's recommendation for floor test was also discussed, and that they were all hopeful that nothing should go wrong. The meeting lasted for a good 45 minutes, it was reported.
