TR Zeliang government will not last another two months: Azo

Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 20

The Shürhozelie-led NPF today made a bold prediction that the TR Zeliang government will not last another two months and called upon its party rank and file to fully gear up for the forthcoming 2018 assembly election.  

“How long will the TR government last? Latest by second week of November, this government will fall,” claimed a confident Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu, DAN chairman and leader of NPF legislature Party (Shürhozelie group).  

Addressing the NPF Dimapur Division consultative meeting held here at the Division office, the DAN chairman said the death knell of the TR government has already been sounded with the apex Supreme Court ruling on ‘office of profit’ relating to appointment of parliament secretaries and advisors.  

Azo said the Gauhati High Court has given a respite of six weeks to the TR government on “unconstitutional” appointment of parliamentary secretaries and advisors, after which the government would come to a grinding halt.  

Reminding his comments made recently during a party rally in Mokokchung that the political development (rift between the two NPF groups) was a “blessing in disguise”, Azo said whereas in the 2013 assembly election 26 MLAs were defeated, in the 2018 election, according to his calculation, at least 35-40 sitting MLAs, majority from the rival NPF camp, would not be coming back.  

This would give the NPF (Shürhozelie group) a double edge as the party would be free from anti-incumbency factor as well as free from obligations while awarding party tickets, he said.  

Azo also reiterated Shürhozelie’s assurance to award more party tickets to upcoming leaders and women in the 2018 election and exuded confidence that the party would come back to power with “absolute majority.”  

“Our priority is not to take over the government. We are not power monger. We stand by party principles and will fight the election,” he added.  

On the general convention of the rival NPF (Rio-Zeliang group) held simultaneously at DDSC stadium, the DAN chairman termed it as “unconstitutional”, “illegal” and a “purchased meeting.” Azo claimed that majority of the attendees at the rival convention were not genuine party workers but outsiders and from different political parties who came due to monetary inducement.  

Tohanba, MLA, in his address said the NPF party, though it had undergone change of nomenclatures, is the oldest regional party and withstood challenges and crisis since 1963 and that the present NPF president, Dr. Shürhozelie, is one of the pioneers of the regional party. He said Shürhozelie being one of the tallest and respected leaders, the remaining 11 NPF legislators would remain with him as faithful disciples. Pointing out that Shürhozelie was legitimately elected as president during the last NPF general convention, Tohanba said no one can remove him till such time another general convention is held to elect a new party president.  

And though the Rio-Zeliang group is trying to buy time in court, Tohanba expressed confidence that ultimately the ECI would decide in favour of the genuine and legitimate NPF group.  

Former Congress minister, Asu Keyho; vice president NPF Central and incharge Dimapur Division, Pusazo Luruo; associate press secretary NPF Central, Phushika Aomi, president NPF women wing Dimapur, Vepra Nyekha; and CEC Ghaspani-1, Kakheho Chishi also spoke in the meeting.