NPF President Shurhozelie likely to take over
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 15
Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang stepping down appears imminent as legislators of the ruling Naga People’s Front and party leaders held a string of meetings on Wednesday evening to discuss on the change of guard in the wake of the mounting pressure from the JCC and the NTAC for the Chief Minister to step down.
Sources from the camp said the NPF legislators first held a meeting at the residence of the Chief Minister after which another meeting was convened at the residence of party president Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu without Zeliang.
During the first meeting, there was no decisive outcome despite appeals from some of the legislators asking the CM to step down. So another meeting was convened at the resident of party president to discuss on the issue,” the source informed.
After juggling on a number of possible candidates to replace Zeliang, the NPF legislators appear to have zeroed in on its party president Dr. Liezietsu to take over the chair of Chief Minister and bail out the party from the present situation.
After the meeting at the residence of the NPF party president, which continued past 11 pm, the legislators reportedly went to the residence of the CM again to reportedly ask him to make way for a new leader to take his place. What transpired at the final meeting with Zeliang however could not be ascertained at the time of filing of this report.
One thing appears to be clear. Amid the mounting pressure, the legislators want Zeliang to resign. The source pointed out that the first priority was for Zeliang to resign. Who will be the next CM can be decided in the coming days, he added.
There have been reports since the last couple of days of NPF legislators carrying out a signature campaign for the incumbent CM to resign.
Sources from CMO had played down the reports of Zeliang relinquishing his chair on moral grounds and said the entire process of reaffirmation of faith by legislators have been misinterpreted, and asserted there was no such move for change in leadership.
