TR Zeliang’s claim is just an attempt to fool and confuse the public: Rivals NPF

Newmai News Network

DIMAPUR | Oct 25

 A day after Nagaland Chief Minister, TR Zeliang claimed that the Cock symbol of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) would be retained by the Neiphiu Rio led group of the NPF to which he is part of the latter group, the rival Dr Shurhozelie led NPF said that the claim is just an attempt to fool and confuse the public.

Interestingly, the Neiphiu Rio-TR Zeliang duo led NPF had also served a one-week deadline on the 9 NPF legislators supporting the Dr Shurhozelie led group to join the former. 

Reacting to the statement of TR Zeliang-Neiphiu Rio led NPF’s latest move, the Dr Shurhozelie led NPF said today, “If he (TR Zeliang) was so confident of getting the symbol Cock, he would not have been hobnobbing with the Nationalist People’s Party (NPP), nor would Neiphiu Rio burn the midnight oil to get his party Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) registered with the Election Commission of India (ECI)”.

The statement of Dr Shurhozelie led NPF then said that the general public can clearly see through their “bluff and it is an open secret that their brief honeymoon shall come to an end” in a matter of weeks as both of them head towards their respective political parties. “But in the meantime, one should not think too harshly of their ridiculous statements since they are under immense pressure to keep their flock together, and they are compelled to make fantastic statements to convince their followers as well as themselves,” it added.

Meanwhile, ridiculing the statement of the NPF group led by Neiphiu Rio and TR Zeliang serving 7 days ultimatum to the Dr Shurhozelie led NPF,  Rajya Sabha MP and Secretary General of NPF of the latter group, KG Kenye on Wednesday said that they have no authority to call the NPF party to reconcile with them, but it is the NPF who have all the authority and liberty if it found the expelled and suspended NPF members fit to be reconciled with and include them into the party fold.

Addressing the party workers during the third day of the NPF Youth Wing sit-in-protest at Civil Secretariat in Kohima today, the MP said that it is for the NPF to decide whether to reconcile with them or not to since they have involved themselves in anti-party activities and hence, were either expelled or suspended from the NPF party. He also rubbished the “rebel” group’s statement on reconciliation stating that the Election Commission of India letter dated October 17 had never mentioned anything on reconciliation but clearly directed the NPF to convene a General Convention and let the active members of the party decide the present political crisis.

Speaking on the chief whip and disqualification issue, the MP said that once the NPF proven its legitimacy after holding its General Convention, the issue would be automatically settled even though the present unconstitutional government might try to run away and escape.

The MP then said the ECI which is the custodian and the guardian of every political party in the country can never be influenced by Rio and TR group.

He also said that the ECI, which knows thoroughly the constitution of NPF and understanding that there is a mechanism to resolve the present political happenings in Nagaland, had directed the NPF to convene the General Convention and resolve the issue.

Referring to the appointment of Yitachu as new Chief Whip and Kuzholuzo Nienu as leader of the NPF legislature party, the MP said that their appointments were made by the president of the party and for which it will stand scrutiny of any court of law. Kenye also asked the NLA Speaker, Dr. Imtiwapang Aier to adjudicate justice to all the cases pending in his office at the earliest.