Kohima, July 26 (MExN): Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu today endorsed the campaign for clean election stating that the use of money in elections all over the country has been the cause of various social ills and shortcomings. He was speaking during a campaign programme at Chedema village.
Voicing out against proxy voting and selling/buying of votes, Dr Liezietsu expressed happiness that more and more people are becoming aware of the need for clean election. “This time round, I am very happy that the Kohima Village Council and Youth Organisation have decided to keep close watch over the bye election to ensure that the election process is clean and peaceful,” he said.
On MKR Pillai issue, Dr Liezietsu stated that he fails to understand why some of his colleagues objected when he told the media that he will not condone corruption. “Once reports from Income Tax department have been received, if necessary I was prepared to hand over investigations to the CBI. And so, some of my colleagues panicked and went against me,” the octogenarian said.
On severing of ties with the BJP, the NPF President recalled that they had been associated with non-Congress national political parties ever since Chandra Shekhar of the Janata Party came to power in the late 1970s. The bond was strengthened when the then Chairman of the NDA George Fernandes came and inked the agreement to form Democratic Alliance of Nagaland in 2003, Dr Liezietsu recollected. “But since the BJP has treated us very badly this time, we have decided to sever ties with it,” he stated and added, “The NPF is the only party in Nagaland which will remain after 2018 elections and the BJP shall regret that they have displeased us just to come to power for a few months.”
On the role of the Governor in toppling his ministry, Liezietsu contended that the Governor was in a hurry to install a BJP Government in Nagaland. “But he failed to do so since most of the legislators were against the idea of joining/ merging with the BJP because they know very well that they could not face the electorate in 2018 on BJP tickets. The Governor and the Speaker have misused their position in an arbitrary manner, but we have faith that the Courts will deliver justice.”
On the issue of Party Whip, Liezietsu insisted that the Party Chief Whip is appointed by the political party and not by the legislature wing. “In 2014, I appointed Kiyanilie Peseyie as the Chief Whip of the NPF. This appointment was notified and conveyed to the ECI and all Assemblies in the country. His appointed order was never rescinded and he continues to be the Chief Whip of the NPF party,” Liezietsu stated.
Further pointing out that all the legislators obeyed his Whip on February 5, 2015 when TR Zeliang called for a Vote of Confidence, Liezietsu argued that the Whip issued by him had legality and was binding on all Members of the NPF Legislators. “When the legality of Kiyanilie’s Whip had legality in 2015, why did not the Speaker accept his Whip this time? Why did not the Governor over rule the Speaker’s travesty in the Assembly?” Liezietsu asked. “How can legislators appoint their own Whip without the consent and knowledge of the political party they belong to? How can a person expelled from a political party be accepted as the Chief Whip of the very party from which he has been expelled?” he further queried.
