Kohima, August 17 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front Central Headquarters has contended that with the coming of the 91st Amendment of the Constitution of India, “the supremacy of the Political Party replaced the elected members’ supremacy”.
In the present crisis, the NPF Central in a statement from the Media & Press Bureau maintained that the 37 NPF MLAs who voted against the Party Whip on July 21 last “cannot escape disqualification under Para 2 (1)(b) of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India.”
Narrating the history of tussles for the chair of chief minister, the NPF Central first cited the case of 2004 wherein the Neiphiu Rio-led government became a minority after 19 NPF MLAs extended support to Z. Obed.
“The NPF MLAs who were with Z. Obed could not succeed because the Party Whip hung over their head like the proverbial Damocles’ Sword, and they eventually returned to the Party fold to support Neiphiu Rio,” it stated.
The NPF Central also reflected back to 2007 during which Tokheho took the initiative to topple Neiphiu Rio government and mustered the support of 36 MLAs including 13 NPF MLAs. “Although the UPA Government was there in the Centre it could not install Tokheho’s Government because the 13 MLAs were disqualified for going against the Whip,” it stated and added, “This is all because the majority number has to be backed by law and the Constitution.”
It also recalled the 2014 and 2015 cases which followed Rio’s decision to vacate the chief minister’s chair to enter national politics. “Kaito Aye in spite of the numerical majority could not move no confidence motion against the sitting Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang since both of them were from the same political party,” it added.
Further contending that the present government is “unconstitutional” and that, any unconstitutional government cannot function even for a day, the NPF Central insisted that Governor PB Acharya be recalled and the unconstitutional TR Zeliang government dismissed without further delay.
