Suggests rival party to let Zeliang enjoy Leader of Opposition role instead of giving hope of becoming chief minister
Dimapur, Oct. 13 (EMN): In a stinging retort, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has dismissed the NPF’s recent pretentious claim to forming the government in Nagaland as mere fantasy.
“The Naga People’s Front still seems to be convinced by their fantasy of forming the government and living in a disillusioned world that they will suddenly get the magic 5 members which they have been speaking since day one of the PDA government taking the reins of power. The recent resolutions passed at the PDA coordination meeting along with the MLAs of the alliance proves that not only will the disillusionment of the NPF remain a fantasy, but that the alliance partners of PDA are united and stand firm to our commitment to one another,” according to a statement from NDPP on Saturday.
It likened the NPF to an old tape recorder ‘repeating over and over again’ about how the party has 26 members, ‘thus making them the single largest party!’
“No one is disputing the fact that they have 26 elected representatives in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. However, once and for all, let it be put on record that the NPF managed to secure 26 members out of 60 contested seats in the last general elections while the NDPP-BJP alliance managed to secure 30 out of the 60 seats contested. The NDPP-BJP alliance being a pre-poll alliance based on seat sharing was thus asked to form the new government by the governor since it was the largest single entity in the House.
“The rule of majority is such that a majority by a single digit is still a majority and therefore, no matter what the opposition may say, this rule cannot be manipulated to their liking as has been the case in their past,” it stated.
The party stated that it has never ‘lectured’ the opposition’s legislators on the proceedings of the NLA but only voiced displeasure at the treatment meted out to the august office of the speaker of the NLA. “It is most unfortunate that the Naga Peoples Front have taken it as a ‘lecture’ to their MLAs since we are well aware that every single elected representative is a mature adult equipped to make decisions that will impact the lives of their electorates and need no lecturing from anyone unless the NPF ‘lectures’ their own!
“However, being a responsible political party in the state, the NDPP will continue to defend any insult meted out to the sanctity of the office of the speaker and the Nagaland Legislative Assembly which are the upholders of democracy and the house of the people,” it stated.
The party also took on the statements made by the NPF president and the Leader of Opposition during the party’s recent CEC meeting. “…(they have) rather amused the NDPP since they ‘seem’ to know more about the internal matters of the PDA better than the growing frustration amongst their own rank and file. The two leaders of the NPF also seem to be confused themselves since they cannot seem to make up their minds on whether they will form the government or not! On one hand, they say that they will very soon form a ‘coalition’ government and the very next moment they state that the rumours to lure the alliance partners are fabricated lies.
“How will it even be possible for the opposition to try and form a government with just 26 members unless they are actually thinking and plotting of trying to lure away members of the PDA? The NPF is only getting caught in their own web of lies and deceit which is now being openly displayed for all people to see. Will such leaders who themselves are totally confused be capable of providing any government to the people leave alone a stable one?”
The NDPP asserted it was time for the NPF to accept the fact that the mandate of the people has gone against them in the last general elections. “If they want to form a government, let them first win the elections with the mandate of the people possessing the necessary numbers to do so. The 2018 mandate has been given to the NDPP-BJP pre-poll alliance and subsequently the other likeminded political parties have joined the alliance to provide a stable government under the leadership of the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
“The NPF should not and cannot again expect to ride on someone else’s mandate as was the case in the last house where Mr. TR Zeliang had to ride on the support of the 8 Congress MLAs for him to continue as the chief minister. The people’s mandate is with the PDA and will remain so for the next five years despite the attempts of the Naga People’s Front trying their best to use all forms of underhanded operations! The NPF should also perhaps be a little more sympathetic to its leader and let him continue to function as the Leader of Opposition instead of giving him a hope of being the chief minister in waiting for the next five years!”
On the statement made by NPF legislator Yitachu, “regarding the matter with the Election Commission of India”, it stated that it was nothing new since all his theories have been proved wrong till today. “It is also interesting that Mr. Yitachu happens to have so much knowledge of the ongoing matter that too for someone who is not party to the case! Perhaps there is more to the story than we are made to presume. For someone who claims to have a legal background, he should perhaps be careful in thinking twice before giving his comments since it is unbecoming of a gentleman of law and an elected representative to be making bungling mistakes in the public domain time and again and may even invite legal actions.
“The matter with the Election Commission of India has been listed for hearing and since the matter is subjudice, it is best for the legal process to take its course; however, the NDPP is confident that the ruling will be in our favour since all our papers, document and legalities are in order. The Naga people will not be fooled again by the tall promises of the NPF to provide a stable government when the whole world knows what kind of government was given to the people under the leadership of Mr. T. R. Zeliang and Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu.
“A government shrouded in crisis and trust deficit, a government where the rugs were pulled underneath the very noses of the leaders themselves is not the kind of government that the Naga people want and neither is it government meant for a fast developing society. The PDA government is here to provide stability and unity, the expectations of the people that have been put on our shoulders by the mandate of the people will not go in vain. The PDA government is here to stay and our government will not be swayed or falter by false rhetoric’s and allegations of the opposition; but our commitment to the people will continue to manifest through our works, our stability and our unity,” it stated.
