Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 25
Providing yet more plots, and sub-plots, to the political intrigue that surrounds the “defection” of three NCP legislators to the BJP in Nagaland, it has now come emerge that the reason behind Sharad Pawar’s – the Nationalist Congress Party supremo – decision to sack Er TL Semdok from his position as NCP president in Nagaland stems from the fact that the latter had withdrawn his lawsuit against the three “defected” legislators on September 17 last.
Addressing a press conference here today, the deposed NCP president said that his decision to withdraw the lawsuit –which he admitted was taken without consulting the party leaders in Delhi – was solely in response to “the earnest appeal from the Legislative Assembly, TR Zeliang and DAN chairman, Dr Shorhozelie Liezietsu” to withdraw the same “to make the current Indo-Naga peace talks a grand success which could be possible when all political parties unite and act in unanimity on all issues.”
Despite the party high command’s opposition, he said that the NCP members in Nagaland were in favor of the decision to withdraw the lawsuit “in the interest of the Indo –Naga peace talks.” To demonstrate this, Semdok on Friday paraded the members of the state’s NCP executive body, who expressed support to the leadership of Semdok.
They also questioned as to how Sharad Pawar could sack a local leader, and announce his replacement at the same time, without consulting the state’s NCP executive body. The executive members informed that their loyalty was to Semdok, and not to his replacement, M Krose. Semdok reminded that “first of al under the leadership of national NCP leaders headed by President Sharad Pawar, the Nagaland NCP party and NCP legislature agreed to support the DAN III government unconditionally as post-poll alliance.” He stated that the “desire” of the state NCP was to “carry forward this consensual spirit.” Semdok shared that any such party decisions were taken “in the presence of the then NCP president, General Secretary (Admn)” and the NCP’s sole legislator. The catch to this intrigue is that Sharad Pawar has made the then General Secretary (Admn), M Krose as the president of the state NCP after sacking Semdok on grounds of anti-party activities. The contention from Semdok’s camp on Friday was that the newly elected president was equally guilty of engaging in anti-party activities –if Semdok, in the first place, had committed the crime – since every decision was taken in the knowledge of the former. As such, the NCP executives maintained, they will continue to support the leadership of Er Semdok.
