Opposition parties have field day as ‘anti-VIP’ PDA govt appoints 13 party functionaries with Cabinet and MoS status
Morung Express News
Kohima | May 2
The opposition parties are having a field day in Nagaland as they sneered at ruling People’s Democratic Alliance’s ‘anti-VIP’ credential with the appointment of 13 party functionaries within the alliance either with Cabinet Minister or Minister of State status on May 1.
The opposition parties also considered it as violation of the “Model Code of Conduct” (MCC) in force in Nagaland after the announcement of bye-election to State’s lone Lok Sabha Seat on April 26.
According to notifications issued by Cabinet Secretariat Cell, Government of Nagaland dated May 1, the Governor of Nagaland has inducted 3 persons in PDA as Cabinet Minister while ten others were also appointed as members in the Alliance with the status of “Minister of State with immediate effect.”
The appointees were top party functionaries from four political parties - Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, National People's Party, and Janata Dal (United) – that constitute the present PDA Government in Nagaland.
The Congress fired the first salvo. Taking to Twitter shortly after the ‘appointment circulars’ were shared heavily on social media, the NPCC General Secretary GK Zhimomi ridiculed the PDA’s anti-VIP’s credential in a tweet.
“All top NDPP-BJP and NPP party functionaries have been saddled with cabinet and MoS status. Truly change has come, more VVIPs sans nameplates. Incredible Nagaland where anything and everything is possible,” he tweeted on his official account.
In other post, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary asked whether such appointments are violation of MCC.
“Isn't this a gross violation of Election MCC in addition to being illegal appointments that will be a burden on state exchequer,” Zhimomi posted in another Tweet.
Meanwhile, the main opposition party, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) has also questioned the appointments as against austerity rhetoric of the government and “total violation” of MCC
What will citizen of Nagaland gain? NPF
Addressing a press conference in Kohima on May 2, the NPF Spokesperson Achumbemo Kikon questioned the necessity of such appointments.
Stating that the PDA government has been talking of doing away with VIP culture and austerity measure, he said, “I don’t think their services are actually required when we have enough elected members to run the government.”
While maintaining that the party is not against any individual getting into such position, he said “the appointment has also come at the wrong time.”
Kikon said the ECI has announced the schedule for bye-election to Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland on April 26 evening and the MCC came into force with immediate effect.
How can they (PDA) appoint when the process of electioneering have started?” he questioned, adding “This is total violation of model code of conduct.”
“This is a total defiance of Election Commission order and we strongly demand that Election Commission should take cognizance of it and appropriate action should be taken,” Kikon asserted.
He also said that all those appointments should be kept in cold storage for the time being since they (PDA) have violated the MCC.
When the State is running with a lot of deficit, he asked, how much amount the State exchequer will incur from such designation.
What can the citizens expect from PDA if a little budget remaining for the State is being paid to few individuals, Kikon wondered.
"What will the citizens of Nagaland gain? This is something we cannot comprehend,” he said.
Stating that the vision propagated by the PDA and their actions are quite contradictory, Kikon declared, “We as opposition party we cannot accept such functioning.”
