Shurhozelie faction suspends Neiphiu Rio from NPF membership

Newmai News Network

DIMAPUR | Aug 2

The mudslinging between the TR Zeliang camp and that of the Dr Shurhozelie intensifies even as the latter group suspended Neiphiu Rio again from the primary and active membership of the Naga People’s Front (NPF).

Interestingly, former chief minister and sitting Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio was ‘selected’ by 36 legislators supporting TR Zeliang as the ‘interim’ president of the NPF on July 31.

Today’s decision of the DR Shurhozelie group of the NPF came a day after Neiphiu Rio had said he “was humbled by the decision of the NPF Legislature Party led by chief minister TR Zeliang for electing him as the interim president of the NPF party”.

Meanwhile, in an emergent meeting of the central office bearers of NPF led by Dr Shurhozelie said that the actions of the governor in installing the TR Zeliang government “without proper application of mind and by violating all norms and parliamentary procedures such as his hasty summoning of the House without giving reasonable time for Dr Shurhozelie to prove his majority”.

The meeting also observed that the Speaker in accepting the whip of the legislators and ignoring the legitimate whip issued by NPF chief whip Kiyanilie Peseyie whose appointment as the party’s chief whip on November 14, 2014 is still valid; and acting like he is the leader of the new dispensation led by expelled NPF member TR Zeliang, are unbecoming on the part of the governor who is expected and regarded as the custodian of the Constitution of India.

The Dr Shurhozelie led NPF meeting “vehemently condemned the biased” manner of the Speaker who “violated” all Constitutional norms to “ensure” that his brother-in-law sailed through the floor test on July 21 by accepting an “expelled” member of the NPF as the official whip of the party from which he is expelled, “and demands that he clearly explain to the people since when the appointment of the chief whip of the NPF party had been rescinded/ cancelled by the NPF party”.

He should also explain to the people as to when the chief whip of a political party is appointed by the legislators, and not by the political party as required by the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India, the NPF said.

The meeting then resolved to stand steadfast behind the leadership of ”party president” Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu and his team of office bearers as decided in the general convention of the NPF party on November 26, 2014 and reiterated at the special general convention of the party held on April 30, 2015 through the directive of the Election Commission of India.

It also “vehelently condemned the expelled/ suspended and few NPF legislators” in appointing Neiphiu Rio as the “so-called” Interim President of the NPF party and serving an ultimatum to the NPF party President Dr Shurhozelie to step down, and reminded these legislators that as per Constitutional provisions of the NPF Party, they, the legislators are not authorised to make any appointment including any active or primary member of the NPF party, least of all, an office bearer, leave alone the party President, Interim, ad hoc or work charged.

The meeting also resolved to endorse the decision of the party leadership in expelling 20 NPF legislators from the party and to place 12 members in suspension including suspension of Neiphiu Rio as recommended by the Disciplinary Action Committee, and further authorise the party leadership to take all measures required to maintain discipline, unity and integrity of the NPF party in the days to come.

 “In this connection, considering that all the NPF MLAs in the present camp of expelled TR Zeliang had violated the Whip issued by the NPF chief whip Kiyanilie Peseyie on the floor of the Assembly on July 21, the central office bearers recommend to the DAC to expel/ suspend the remaining dissident MLAs who have not been covered/ touched till date, as deemed fit”, the Dr Shurhozelie group said.