The educational qualification of a public or political leader is not the main criteria for contesting in any election. It is the electorate who knows the quality of the leaders they have elected on trust and belief that they will deliver the goods. After all, the electorate is more concerned with solution of the various issues that have been the bane of Nagaland in many respects.Nevertheless, a memorandum submitted by NPCC Working President P. Ayong Aonok to the Governor has claimed that his party has “managed” to get relevant documents pertaining to the Chief Minister’s educational qualification from competent authority through RTI filed by a Congress member. Aonok has insisted that the Chief Minister having assumed the highest office in the State is answerable to the NPF Party as also the people of the State vis-à-vis his educational qualification.
In this connection, local dailies have reported that NPCC has urged the Governor to verify whether Chief Minister TR Zeliang had passed B.A. Examinations from Kohima College under North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) in 1980 as stated by him in an affidavit in form 26 while filing his nomination paper before the returning officer for election to the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly from 7 Peren (ST) Assembly Constituency. The NPCC has demanded setting up of an impartial inquiry committee and that its report is made known to all accordingly.
As it is, Chief Minister TR Zeliang took over the reins with hope but found that Nagaland was, and is, financially in huge deficit. Nevertheless, he has been approaching the Center for ways and means to sort out the problem. And apparently, better financial times are round the corner.
It is also to be here mentioned that since the political turmoil at the beginning of this year some NPF Legislators tried to bring down TR Zeliang by insisting that he step down, but they eventually returned home as proved by their voting in support of him in a special Assembly session. Not only that, but all the Congress Legislators also cast their support for him.
This outcome was truly spectacular since all 60 (sixty) Legislators expressed their support for TR Zeliang’s leadership. It has even surpassed S.C. Jamir who as Chief Minister had the support of 59 Congress Legislators with only one NPF MLA, Mavil Khieya, as the lone Opposition in the Assembly.
If it is short of anything else to target the Chief Minister with then perhaps the NPCC should field its own candidate in the next general, or any other, election instead of nitpicking on issues that are not going to solve Nagaland’s political, social, financial and historical issues. The present Chief Minister is doing his utmost to sort out the various problems afflicting our State and so, he must be encouraged in his endeavours rather than trying to harass him as he tries to shape Nagaland’s destiny.
CHIVOTSO NIENU
President,
NPF Phek Division
