Principal Correspondent
KOHIMA, AUGUST 6
THE growing difference within the NPF Mokokchung District Division and the NPF Central Kohima seems to have deepened as none of the five NPF legislators were present to welcome Chief Minister TR Zeliang during his visit to the district on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister TR Zeliang visited the district to inaugurate the Yonex-Sunrise 38th Nagaland Inter District & State Open Badminton Championship 2014 at Multi Sports Indoor Hall, Imkongmeren Sports Complex, Mokokchung as the chief guest but there was not a single legislator from the district to receive him.
Following former Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio relinquishing the chair, TR Zeliang, who took over as the Chief Minister on May 24, had sacked two sitting ministers from the district – senior minister Imkong L. Imchen and youngest minister Merentoshi R. Jamir – from the Council of Ministers to be replaced by Parliamentary Secretaries Nuklutoshi and Dr. Benjongliba to complete the remaining tenure of NPF-led DAN-III government.
However, the differences boiled that led to the extent of dissolution of NPF Mokokchung Division, bomb blast inside NPF Mokokchung Division office and also formation of Mokokchung District NPF Forum by disgruntled NPF workers of the district.
Nevertheless, barring some of the leaders from NPF Mokokchung Division party workers and former candidate, excepting government servants and organizers of the tournament, none of the five NPF legislators of the district were present to receive the Chief Minister.
Mention may be made here that the strength of Congress in Mokokchung district which has 10 Assembly seats and was once the stronghold of the party led by former Chief Minister SC Jamir had been reduced to just three MLAs during the 2013 State Assembly elections. Out of the 10 MLAs, NPF presently has five members supported by two Independent MLAs while Congress has only three MLAs.
Interestingly, Minister for PWD (National Highways) Nuklutoshi, who was also slated to be guest of honour during the inaugural function of tournament, failed to attend reportedly for health complications.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that fearing problems from any quarter, the district administration and police had deployed adequate security personnel to thwart any untoward incident as this was the first visit of TR Zeliang to the district after becoming the Chief Minister.
