Our Correspondent
Kohima | December 12
The Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio-led DAN government will face a no-confidence motion tomorrow as the 10th Nagaland Legislative Assembly sits for the sixteenth session. Initiated by the opposition Congress, the no-confidence motion is likely to evoke keen interest and rock the one-day session, perhaps, which could be the last session of this tenure.
One and a half month are barely left for the next general election, but the Congress are adamant with their demand for sacking Rio’s government and imposing President’s Rule in the state, accusing the NPF-led DAN government of failure to contain law and order, corruption, nepotism etc. The speaker is reported to have admitted the no-confidence motion, and the Congress will not backtrack.
“We are going ahead with the no-confidence motion. The speaker has admitted the motion”, said senior Congress legislators, KV Pusa, this evening. Both the DAN alliance and Congress were engaged in a series of meeting till late into nights as they prepared for Thursday’s showdown in the floor of the house. But, the mood in the NPF camp appears unruffled by the Congress threat of no-confidence motion.
Senior NPF functionaries beamed confidence, when queried whether the government will pass the test of strength, stating that it will sail through the storm as they still have the numbers to keep the government intact. Rumors have also been doing rounds that four more legislators are likely to desert the government, but it was not confirmed.
With the resignation of 6 legislators, which included four parliamentary secretaries and two MLAs, today, the 60 member house has been reduced to 48 now. Out of 48, Congress has 17 legislators. The DAN alliance is supposed to have 31 legislators, but 2 JDU legislators, Huska Sumi and Deo Nukhu, and another member, Jungshilemba, had earlier withdrawn their support to the Neiphiu Rio government. So now the DAN has only 28 members, but they still command majority.
DAN needs 25 legislators to pull through the storm. Even if the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio fails to withstand the no-confidence motion, the Congress still doesn’t have the magic number to form an alternative government. So, the state may come under President’s Rule if at all Rio fails to sails through the no-confidence motion.
Those who resigned from the assembly as well as from the NPF party today includes parliamentary secretaries Hewoto Awomi, K Hollohon, Kipili Sangtam and Nkhao Lotha, and two MLAs, Hukavi and Tarie Zeliang.
Reasons for resigning
Giving reasons for their resignations, Hukavi said “as we are aware that there is corruption, nepotism and self-style of governing as far as DAN government is concern,” said Hukavi.
Equality and transparency should be there in governance, he said while addressing media persons at the official residence of opposition leader, I. Imkong this evening. “We are not happy with this government,” he said adding that for this reason that they have taken a decision to quit. Hukavi also condemned the equi-closeness policy saying that the policy was ‘good, but lacked in implementation.’
Also referring to their resignation, Hewoto said that they had done it knowing fully well the situation and they have no regret. On being queried whether they have any plans to join the Congress, Hewoto said “we have not yet decided.” Also alleging that there was lack of coordination, Kipili said “Our vision is for better,” claiming that their move will bring a “better change.”
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