The ongoing political crisis in Nagaland deepened as Chief Minister Shurhozelie liezietsu on Sunday dropped four Ministers from his Cabinet. The ruling Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) also suspended ten legislators from the party for their involvement in anti-party activities.
The Chief Minister dropped Home Minister Y Patton, National Highway and Political Affairs Minister G Kaito Aye, Forest Minister Imkong l Imchen and Power Minister C Kipili Sangtam from his Cabinet with immediate effect for their involvement in anti-party activity.
Similarly the NPF working president Apong Pongener and Huskha Yepthomi had suspended ten party legislators — including TR Zeliang, Shetoyi, Nuklutoshi, D Nukhu, Naiba Konyak and Benjongliba Ayer and the four Ministers mentioned above. All the ten are loyal to Zeliang.
The development took place a day after former Chief Minister TR Zeliang plotted an ouster of the Chief Minister. Zeliang had assembled 34 legislators of the NPF at a resort near Kaziranga National Park in Assam since Saturday morning and wrote to the Nagaland Governor staking claim to have the support of 34 NPF legislators, including him and seven Independent legislators to form the Government.
The recent development took place when the Nagaland Chief Minister is facing by-election on July 29 from Northern Angami-I seat in State capital Kohima.
“I am going to New Delhi today and I shall try to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister over the crisis,” TR Zeliang told The Pioneer over phone.
liezietsu, who became the Chief Minister on February 22 this year after TR Zeliang had to step down following violent protests by different tribal groups over the issue of women quota in Urban local Body polls, is, however, not an elected member of the Assembly and has to win the polls to be able to continue in office.
last month, his son Khriehu had resigned from the Assembly to make way for the father. liezietsu returned the favour later by appointing Khriehu as advisor to him with pay, perks and facilities that of a Cabinet Minister.
The liezietsu senior had won the 2003 and 2008 elections from the seat but in 2013, he opted out for Khriehu, who went on to win the election.
With 47 MlAs in the now 59-member House following Khriehu’s resignation, the NPF calls the shots in ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN). The four BJP MlAs and eight Independents are giving support to DAN.