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Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu speaking at the NPF general convention at Kohima local ground on November 22.[/caption]
Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Nov. 22 (EMN): The dispute for legitimacy of leadership and ownership of the party name and symbol of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) between two groups- one led by Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio and the other by Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu- stepped up on Nov. 22 with the latter holding a general convention at Khouchiezie (local ground) in Kohima. The Rio-led NPF had held a similar general convention at Dimapur two months ago.
On Wednesday, Khouchiezie was filled with thousands of Liezietsu’s supporters, 21144 as per the party’s record, who declared to stand firm behind the leadership of Liezietsu. The party informed that the supporters were from all the districts of the Nagaland along with those from Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
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A section of the gathering during the NPF general convention at Kohima local ground on November 22.[/caption]
Rajya Sabha MP and secretary general NPF, KG Kenye, speaking on the occasion as the presiding officer, alleged that the rival group had approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) without the mandate of the CEC or COB or active members of the party but ‘only with the signatures of 36 MLAs’ to derecognize Liezietsu as the party president. He asserted that the ECI rejected their petition and had, on Oct. 17 issued a directive to the party to resolve the crisis within it as per the provisions of Article XV of the NPF constitution which vests the power on two-third majority of the active members of the party present and voting in a general convention to determine the issue. This, he stated, was the reason for calling this general convention, in conformity with the ECI order.
“Today, it’s not just a two-third but a 100% has reaffirmed of Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu’s presidentship and the election of his team of office bearers,” Kenye stated, after the gathering affirmed their support for Liezietsu and team with raised hands.
While admitting that the NPF has faced some leadership issues in the past, he stated that the party has never wavered in its ideology and principles and the party has survived because of its members who stood firm on these values. “Every time we fall, we will come back/emerge stronger,” the MP asserted, and expressed confidence that the party on Liezietsu’s side will retain the legality of the party.
Addressing the gathering at the NPF general convention today, Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu said political detractors have branded him as dictatorial, autocratic and used many abusive and derogatory words against him. “You know better by yourselves that it is not true but rather that directly reflects the behavious of those who have been branding me as dictatorial,” he said.
He pointed out that NPF, as one of the oldest political parties in the largest democracy in the world (India), undertook democratic processes while drafting the party constitution, which was amended from time to time as per the need of the day, and had strictly observed the provisions of the constitution. “We have never issued any order/notification without referring to the relevant sections of our constitution,” he stated.
Liezietsu alleged that the present confusion in the party was the handiwork of those who do not have any regard to the constitution of the party. He said there was a ‘party-less’ government ruling the state without constitutional sanction.
“The unconstitutional appointment of the whip, the illegal recognition given to it by the speaker, members in the House voted as per the directive of the illegal whip and went against the directive issued by the legal whip thereby an unconstitutional government has been installed (sic),” Liezietsu said.
Expressing his doubt that the central government was fully aware of the prevailing situation in Nagaland, Liezietsu said if the centre was aware and just sitting over the issue then they were rendering the constitution of India irrelevant. “We hope we will be able to get the opportunity to project the actual situation of what is happening here to the government of India if there is any way for them to correct the wrongs that the Governor of Nagaland has committed,” he stated, alleging that Governor PB Acharya had been ‘the main player in humiliating the Constitution of India’ contrary to his obligation and responsibility to uphold its sanctity.
Recalling the 2015 party crisis, he reminded that the issue was solved after a special general convention as per the party constitution as directed by the ECI but this year too, he lamented ‘the same group’ has dragged the NPF to the ECI’s court again on a similar issue and the ECI has issued similar directive.
“ECI has done the right thing directing us to resolve the issue as per Article XV of our constitution.... We are the owners of the house, staying in the house and doing our daily normal activities,” Liezietsu said, terming it ‘madness’ to attempt to break in and ‘kick out’ all who were inside to take ownership of the house.
“But since the matter is lying with ECI, we will take all measures to comply with the directive of ECI and hope to see the conclusion very soon,” he asserted.
Pointing out that the NPF which has been in power for the last 15 years was branded corrupt due to the wrong handling of affairs by few leaders, Lieziestsu however said ‘those corrupted elements’ have left the party by themselves and the corruption tag was taken away by those legislators who joined the rival group. “Among the legislators who are on the other side at the moment, I don’t mean to say that all are bad; I am training my gun to few corrupted leaders who brought shame to the fair name of the party and its government,” he stated.
The present crisis has presented an opportunity for the party to bring in a new breed of politicians from amongst the younger generation as well as from women, he maintained.
On the present stand of the NPF with other political parties in Nagaland, Liezietsu lamented that some of the party’s allies ‘could not keep trust in the manner it should be’ and the NPF had only NCP and JD(U) as its allies under Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN). The NPF had severed its ties with DAN partner BJP earlier in July last with the MLAs of the latter siding in the installation of TR Zeliang as chief minister which saw the dismissal of Liezietsu’s government.
“We have no official connection with other political parties in Nagaland at the moment. If need be, that stand can be reviewed after the next general election,” Liezietsu said, not ruling out the possibility of re-coalition with the BJP.
He also emphasised that the NPF stood for peace and political settlement to the Naga issue since inception but alleged that opponent groups have been confusing the people with many interpretations about the settlement for their ‘immediate political gain’.
“We must understand the changing mind of those political tourists because those are the people who keep on changing their stand with the change of season and location like chameleon (sic). For NPF, we will continue to remain constant like Northern Star in our effort to bring peace and political settlement,” he added.
The general convention resolved to support the decisions adopted at the general conventions of the party dated November 26, 2014 and April 30, 2015 recognising the leadership of president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu as the ‘one and only president’ of the NPF for the tenure 2015-2020; NPF being a founding member of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 1977, it will endeavour to contribute its ‘mite’ to the overall benefit of the people of the region and the country; extends unflinching support to the ongoing peace process between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) and with the Naga National Political Groups, and places on record its happiness at the understanding arrived at and the progress made to resolve the Naga political problem; to supplement the Act East Policy of the Government of India and to let the people of the region actively participate and benefit from trade and commerce with the South East Asian nations, NPF will endeavour to pursue with the Government of India for construction of Trans-border National Highway along Indo-Myanmar borders covering the Northeastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram; the Northeastern region should not be a mere corridor for trade and commerce with the neighbouring countries, but should be converted into a hub of business wherein our youths and entrepreneurs directly participate and benefit from the trades.
Corruption-free Governance; the NPF party will continue to pursue for corruption-free governance and bring about social justice and equitable development with transparency and accountability as its mantra and its government ‘as exemplified during the brief tenure of Dr. Shürhozelie-led DAN Government earlier this year’.
