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Dr. Shurhozelie addressing the party workers at the consultative meetintg in Kohima on September 20.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Kohima, Sep. 20 (EMN): Naga People’s Front (NPF) led by Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu today launched a fresh tirade of allegations and cautions against the rival NPF group led by Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio including a threat to expose files on misappropriation of thousands of crores of state fund by those heading the rebellion.
Addressing a consultative meeting of the party’s central office bearers, CEC, central frontal/cells and divisional office bearers at the NPF central office Kohima, party president and former chief minister and MLA Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu asserted that the present crisis was the creation of few people whose ambitions have become ‘insatiable’ and the detractors, he alleged, were trying every unconstitutional move not only to grab everything but also to destroy the party.
The rival group, he said, have exhausted their moves and as a last attempt, Rio himself claimed to be the NPF party president and is trying to pull as many leaders as possible so that they can prove to the Election Commission of India (ECI) that they have the majority.
“But they cannot fool the ECI like the way they have been fooling the people here. ECI is well aware and they are very thorough about the procedure that we have followed in electing me and my team,” Liezietsu insisted.
Explaining how his team was elected on November 26, 2014, by 5221 active members at the then general convention, he said the party had prepared all the procedures involved and sent them to the ECI and that the latter has all the records including the names of those 5221 active members who voted for the team.
“This time, 37 MLAs appointed Rio to be the interim president, that too from a government building- the State Banquet Hall. They will not be able to fool the ECI. So whatever show they are putting up in Dimapur or elsewhere, we need not worry. Nothing will happen,” he assured party functionaries, making an indirect remark on the general convention being held simultaneously in Dimapur today by the other group.
Stating that it was time for the party leaders to speak out ‘the truth’, he threw fresh assertions at the present chief minister, TR Zeliang, and the sitting MP Rio. He called them ‘money giants’ and maintained that many people have gone to their side because of their money, and not because they liked the leaders.
“Mr Rio was chief minister for a long time and he created a liability of over Rs 1500 crore which became a State burden. TR (Zeliang) took over again and he added another Rs 500 crore…. I am not very thorough about it but some people told me that the State liability will stand at over Rs 2000 crore now,” Liezietsu stated and went on to question where all these money were utilised adding that it was because of this heavy liability that the people of the state were now suffering.
He also pointed out that ‘these two giants’ have been shamelessly fighting in the court over each other’s educational qualification but they were together today to “destroy” the NPF party as they have entered into a ‘secret agreement with the BJP’.
He stated that the party leaders have been very good and liberal till this point, however, if Rio’s group continued to provoke them, he warned that they might be compelled to open the latter’s files ‘where thousands of crores liabilities were created,’ the records of which he claimed the party had.
“But we hope they will also come to their senses and therefore, let us wait and watch,” he told party workers.
Taking a dig on the present government under TR Zeliang, Liezietsu asserted that ‘our ministers and parliamentary secretaries’ call themselves NPF but they are busy only to destroy this party. He alleged that they were not attending office.
Also expressing dismay over the party leaders who chose to side with Rio and Zeliang, Liezietsu said those leaders have sold away their leadership for a few lakhs of rupees.
On the appointment of Zeliang as NPF whip by the rival group, Liezietsu said they were delaying the matter in the court again and again. He was, however certain that TR government will end sooner or later when the case is taken up.
He pointed out that his government, during its five months in office, cleared more than 600 files, including 80% cabinet memos that were pending when he took over as chief minister. “If you really want to do something for the people, there are so many chances and so many ways where you can play your part effectively to help the people,” he said. Towards this, he stressed that the party must think of offering an alternative government to the people so that it would deliver goods to the people and the future generations.
Making a mention of a message from the rival camp that he (Liezietsu) should not be ‘too stubborn to admit if anybody wants to come’, Shurhozelie clarified that he was not being stubborn and would welcome anyone who wanted to come to the party fold.
Others who spoke at the meeting included MLAs Yitachu, N Thongwang and P Longon, NPF working president Huskha Yepthomi, NPF Manipur unit president W Morung Makunga and presidents of Mokokchung and Wokha units.
Rajya Sabha MP KG Kenye, who chaired the meeting, announced that the party had recently installed 13 new office bearers at different levels and the party president Liezietsu administered oath of office to seven of them who were present. During the meeting, the house observed minute of silence in memory of party leader late Zaku Tsükrü who passed away on September 17.
