DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 8 (MExN): In the light of the fractured mandate of 2003 and 2008 election, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today accused the NPF party of forming the government through manipulation and unholy marriage with communal parties. Vice president Nillo Rengma alleged that the regional character of NPF had been diluted with the DAN government becoming a part and parcel of the NDA and BJP which was led by L. K Advani.
The press release written in response to NPF Chief, Dr. Shurhozalie’s statement on the President’s Rule stated that the regional party president should know that the NLA Speaker’s ruling on December 13, 2007 was declared as illegal and unconstitutional by the Guwahati High Court. Maintaining that the “learned man” should know the meaning of illegal and unconstitutional, NPCC said that if he is still confused of the term, Dr. Shurhozalie should seek clarification from the court.
NPCC maintains that President Rule was imposed in Nagaland because of the unconstitutional action of the speaker and nobody else who acted illegally on the petition filed by the NPF president seeking disqualification of 3 independent MLAs. He committee stated that the independent MLAs supported the DAN but had not joined any political party since it might incur disqualification law on their joining anf lose membership of the Assembly. Thus, NPCC questioned as to how the MLAs were not qualified when they, as alleged by Shurhozalie, joined NPF in 2003 but were disqualified when they supported Congress in the No Trust Vote. The release issued by vice president Nillo Rengma said that the Speaker had been compelled to issue the controversial interim order based on NPF president’s petition which was responsible for the PR in Nagaland.
Nillo further stated that the court gave clear justification for dismissing the writ petition still NPF felt that it was unjustified and against the spirit of the constitution therefore he questions the NPF president what in their opinion was higher and greater that the High Court order. Highlighting the fact that their working president, Dr. Kanito Chishi had already tendered apology to the Court and Bar Association, NPCC asked them what else the party might have to say now.
The Congress also express wonder at how the NPF could speak about people’s mandate when in 2003 election the Regional party had secured only 19 seats as compared to the 21 seats secured by the Congress. He opined that the 2008 general election was the same 2003 with none of the partied being given a clear mandate to rule the state. Iterating that it was a fractured mandate with no pre-poll alliance among the political parties, the NPCC said that winning 26 seats out of 60 was not a mandate and instead the release opined that the NPF had formed the government through manipulation and by having an unholy marriage with communal party for the sake of power. Nillo sought to further strengthen the argument by pointing out that in the 2008 election, the Congress had “polled higher percentage than NPF” with 36.28% polled by Congress against NPF’s 33.62 %.
The release further stated that NPF president should know that MP or MLA who resigns for a cause could not be termed as a defector and therefore those MLAs who resigned from the seats in the ruling party in the 10th House of NLA had done so against the corrupted DAN Government. Nillo also demanded to know from Dr. Shurhozalie if there was any rule prohibiting MLAs from celebrating Christmas and New Year away from his house or away from Nagaland. Saying that as Christians one could spend Christmas anywhere in the planet, the NPCC vice president added that NPF chief could not regulate the Congress MLAs on where to spend Christmas.
Moreover, in relation to Dr. Shurhozalie’s charges that regional parties in Nagaland, were never allowed to complete their term, the release reminded of the Congress’ term in 1998 and 1991 under Hokishe and S. C. Jamir which were pulled down, NPCC stated that as per the constitution, any party whether regional or national, had no option but to step down when it loses majority. It added that the 10th House of the NLA, DAN Government had been reduced to a helpless minority and so it could not complete its tenure and so it could not complete its term. The Congress further attacked the NPF saying that the DAN Government was not a regional party government but an NDA Alliance Government led by BJP under the leadership of L. K Advani. Therefore, it stated that the NPF Chief talking about regional party made no sense and was not even relevant since NPF has lost its identity and become part and parcel of NDA.
