Nagaland has witnessed three Chief Ministers since 2014 and again the change in CM’s was done in July when TR Zeliang had written a letter to the governor pleading to form a government with the support of 41 out of 59 MLAs.
After the letter of Zeliang, governor of Nagaland PB Acharya had asked former Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu to appear for a floor test to prove his majority to continue as the CM. But he did not appear for the test resulting in TR Zeliang taking over as the new CM on July 20.
TR Zeliang Naga People’s Front party expelled 19 MLAs from the party and suspended 10 others after they voted in favor of TR Zeliang during the trust vote.
As per the recent updates, NPF under former chief minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu has reached out to the 35 rebel MLAs who voted for chief minister TR Zeliang during the floor test, telling them to return to the party fold by August 5. A notice was issued to each of these MLAs reading that “As per paragraph 2(1) (b) of the tenth schedule of the Indian Constitution, NPF as a political party has the power to condone the action of the NPF MLAs who defied the party whip on the floor of the house on July 21, 2017. It is crystal clear under the schedule that the party has the power to condone (forgive) within 15 days.”
The notice also read that this is the last and final call to the NPF legislators who defied the party whip and voted in favor of Zeliang to come back to the party on or before midnight of Aug 5. It also said that in case of ignorance to the notice the party will be forced to file disqualification petition against the MLAs.
On the other hand, TR Zeliang, along with the 35 MLAs, have served a 15-day ultimatum on Liezietsu to step down as NPF president, saying his continuance as party chief would “invite further destruction and dismemberment” of the organisation at various hierarchies.