Induction of council of ministers within two or three days
Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 21
Nagaland State Chief Minister TR Zeliang today won the confidence motion moved by him on the floor of the Eighteenth (Emergent) Session of the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly here.
He won the trust vote with the support from 47 MLAs (36 NPF, four BJP legislators and seven independents).
NLA Speaker Dr. Imtiwabang Aier informed that the confidence motion moved by Chief Minister TR Zeliang was adopted by 47 votes. Meanwhile 11 MLAs (10 NPF and 1 independent) voted against it.
Earlier, the CM recalled that recent series of events involving the Governor and the former CM, leading to him being sworn in on July 19.
Zeliang further stated that as far as his position as Whip of the NPF is concerned, he has been appointed in that capacity by a majority of 36 NPF MLAs in the group of 46. “Thus my appointment carries legitimacy.”
The CM said he was elected as leader of the NPF legislature Party on May 17, 2014 and since then no NPF MLA has been elected as leader of the NPF Legislature Party, adding that he has never been replaced in that capacity. Acknowledging that he had resigned as Chief Minister on February 19, 2017, he however clarified: “But I never resigned as leader of the NPF Legislature party.” He also added that he was elected as DAN chairman on February 22, 2017.
Zeliang said that while appointing NPF President Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu as the CM on February 22, 2017 “we had wrongly termed him as the leader of the NPF Legislature Party in our resolution.” Stating that in law and under the constitution only an MLA can be elected as leader of NPF Legislature Party, he said the error was corrected by a majority of 44 out of 46.
The CM informed that at an NPF Legislature Party meeting held on July 4, he was reaffirmed as the leader of the NPF Legislature Party. He said one of the resolutions passed on July 4, 2017 at the meeting was to request NPF President to pave way to form a new NPF led DAN government.
Zeliang claimed that on July 7, NPF spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon spoke to him on the phone and said: “The CM is ready to handover and he will resign” but with condition. To this he replied: “With condition I cannot come and take over the chair.” The condition was that the Neiphiu Rio group should not be included, Zeliang revealed.
Claiming to have received calls from NPF working president Apong Pongener and also former minister Y. Vikheho Swu, Zeliang said his reply was the same “that I cannot take over with condition.”
He claimed that the next day, they started inviting MP Niephiu Rio to come and take over. “Maybe the same condition minus TR Group. But minus TR Group how can they form the government,” he said.
While admitting that the 12th NLA faced highest number of crisis, he however gloated that this assembly has so far not allowed President’s Rule to be imposed in the state and it did not allow change of the party name.
On former minister Yitachu questioning under whose political party TR Zeliang was invited for swearing in at the Raj Bhavan, the CM replied: “We are elected from NPF political party and those who were elected on NPF party ticket will remain as NPF MLA till the present tenure is over. I might be expelled /suspended outside the House but inside the House I remain as NPF MLA which cannot be denied by any section of law.”
He also stated that suspended or expelled MLAs can become the Chief Minister or a Minister, citing writings by two renowned advocates of Supreme Court. Further, he added that the Chief Minister or Minister whether suspended or expelled continues to be the member of that political party on the ticket he was elected.
Meanwhile, the CM stressed on the need for an opposition-less government. “Let us uphold the spirit of opposition less government to complete this tenure,” he said.
The CM further informed that induction of his Council of Ministers will take place within two or three days.
