Guwahati: A slice of the political developments that is going on within the ruling Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) over the imminent change in leadership of the legislature party on Saturday shifted to Assam’s most visited tourists destination Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district bordering Nagaland.
In a fresh twist to the present crisis in the NPF that heads the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), over 25 MLAs from the party on Saturday drove down from the hill state and put up at various hotels and resorts in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) area.
Though the MLAs from Nagaland tried to get accommodation in a particular luxury resort at Kohora Range area of Kaziranga, non-availability of sufficient rooms there compelled them to take accommodation in different hotels and resorts in Kohora range area, a source in Kaziranga informed.
Indefinite bandh called by Nagaland Tribal Action Committee (NTAC) and Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) demanding resignation of the chief minister T R Zeliang over killing of two persons in police action on January 28 during a protest against government’s bid to hold of unicipal polls ( now declared null and void) with 33 per cent reservation for women has led to a crisis of legislature party leadership in the ruling NPF that has 48 MLAs in the 60-member Nagaland House. The BJP has only four MLAs in the House.
Zeliang had already sought few days from the protesting organization to allow him to facilitate smooth transition of power before he left for New Delhi few days back. The protesting groups had set Friday deadline for Zeliang to quit.
Subsequently, on February 15 when 42 legislators of NPF resolved to replace T.R. Zeliang as chief minister in favour of DAN chairman and NPF president Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu.
However, on February 17 evening nearly 20 legislators of the NPF led by some senior cabinet ministers decided to rebel against the party’s decision to make Shurhozelie the replacement of Zeliang.
It has been learnt that the number of members in the rebel group is swelling gradually even as the former chief minister and one LoK Sabha MP from Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio who is also from the NPF, is expected to reach here from New Delhi on Saturday. This makes the gathering of Nagaland MLAs in Kaziranga more significant.
