The Survivor

Cover Story Vol. 3 Issue No. 29

June 16-30, 2007

The Survivor

Rio survives dissident threat
Ending speculation over the fate of the Neiphiu Rio ministry in Nagaland, a majority of ruling Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) legislators reaffirmed their solidarity behind the Chief Minister even as dissidents staked claim to form an alternative government under the leadership of former cabinet minister Z Obed. At a meeting of NPF legislature party, a major partner in the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland government, 26 out of 32 NPF MLAs in the 60-members state Assembly reposed their faith on Rio, asserting that there was no threat to the survival of the present DAN ministry, party sources said.
The meeting, held at the residence of the Chief Minister, discussed the latest political development in the state arising out of the move initiated by dissidents and known Rio baiters within the ruling alliance.
Out of 32, six NPF dissidents, including four suspended MLAs, did not turn up for the meeting while two associate members of NPF (independent) out of four were also absent.
The 43-member ruling alliance comprises NPF-32, associate members (independent)-4, BJP-5 and JD(U)-2 while opposition Congress has 17 members in the 60-member Nagaland Assembly.
The NPF legislators meeting also entrusted the party’s disciplinary action committee to take steps against the dissidents who openly revolted against Rio and petitioned the Governor, demanding a change of guard in the ruling alliance, NPF sources said.
Immediately after the meeting, a jubilant Rio went to the Raj Bhavan and apprised Governor K Sankaranarayanan of the development, the Chief Minister’s secretariat said.
Earlier in the day, ex-chief secretary and former public health engineering minister in the Rio cabinet Z Obed and former finance minister and known Rio opponent K Therie met the governor and staked claim to form an alternative DAN government, claiming they were supported by 22 MLAs.

Obed, who claimed he was the leader of DAN legislature party, said that they still had the support of 16 NPF MLAs, who had petitioned the then Governor in August 2004, demanding a change of guard in the ruling alliance.Obed, who was dropped during the downsizing exercise by Rio in 2004, claimed that 10 NPF legislators out of the list of 16, who yesterday withdraw their names and reposed faith on Rio, were yet to withdraw their names from the list which was in his possession.

“It is true that the signatures (in the old letter submitted at Raj Bhavan in 2004) were undated by themselves (10 NPF MLAs) and left with me, to be used at an appropriate time. I have no knowledge that they have retracted their signature,” Obed said.

About the figure of MLAs with them, both Obed and Therie claimed that it was an internal matter within the ruling alliance where 16 MLAs out of 31, excluding Speaker, were in favour of change of guard.

“If majority MLAs (16 out of 31) demanded replacement of the Chief Minister, Rio has no moral right to continue,” Therie said, claiming they had the support of another six DAN coalition legislators to form an alternative government.

The five BJP legislators have already reposed their faith in the leadership of Rio.
Meanwhile, former agriculture minister and JD(U) MLA Huska Sumi said in a statement that he had submitted a separate memorandum to the Governor highlighting the functioning of the DAN government, particularly the “misuse of funds and corruption”, but he had nothing to do with the demand for seeking replacement of Rio.
Coinciding with the dissidence in the ruling alliance, Opposition Congress has demanded intervention of the Raj Bhavan, alleging maladministration of the DAN government in the state.
However, the party said the timing of its demand had nothing to do with the “internal problems in the ruling alliance”.
A party delegation met the Governor and submitted a memorandum alleging that there was no semblance of administration as the state machineries had been systematically subverted by “anti-social elements” during the past four-and-a-half years of the Rio government.

Dissidents ask Governor to remove Rio
Earlier dissidence in the Neiphu Rio -led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland has surfaced after a group of its MLAs met Governor K Shankaranarayanan and reportedly petitioned him for a change of leadership.
The dissidents claimed that they could muster the support of 22 DAN legislators in the 60-member House in support of their demand for a change of leadership.
Although Raj Bhavan sources confirmed the meeting, none wished to be quoted about the content of the petition.
CLP leader I Imkong also met the Governor. Imkong confirmed his ‘usual meeting’ with the Governor as the CLP leader saying “it was mere coincidence that DAN members were also meeting the Governor. I am not aware what transpired in the meeting between DAN legislators and the Governor.”
Health Minister Dr T M Lotha, who belongs to the BJP, a DAN coalition partner, said its legislature party reaffirmed its confidence in the leadership of Rio.
In a statement Dr Lotha said the BJP legislature party met to discuss the ‘latest political development’ in the State amidst speculations over the fate of the Rio Ministry, and appealed to the people not to be disturbed by ‘misinformation’.
The Chief Minister, in the recent past, has attracted attacks from both dissidents and the opposition Congress, both inside and outside the Assembly for his alleged failure in maintaining law and order and in reining in underground activists.
Nagaland goes to the polls early next year

Cong criticises DAN Govt functioning
Opposition Congress in Nagaland has sought intervention of the State Governor into the alleged malfunctioning of the government.
A party delegation led by NPCC president Hokheto Sumi met the Governor K Sankaranarayanan and submitted a memorandum alleging that State machinery had been systematically subverted by “anti-social elements” during the past four-and-a-half years of Neiphiu Rio Government.
Stating that extra-constitutional organizations were ruling most parts of Nagaland, NPCC alleged that there was total breakdown of law and order and the people were exposed to the gun-totting elements who were terrorizing the entire population.
Hokheto said the memorandum had been prepared immediately after the State party leaders along with Congress Secretary Ranji Thomas undertook a week-long tour of all the 11 districts of the State.
“But we had to wait for submitting the memorandum as the Governor was out of station. So timing of our meeting with him (Governor) has nothing to do with what has been happening in the ruling parties for the past few days,” he said, referring to the demands of the dissidents in the alliance government for the change in its leadership.
NPCC also alleged that there was no development work and many infrastructure projects for which the Centre released money were either non-existent or not completed.

2 MLAs resign from ruling DAN
Two MLAs of the ruling Democratic Allaince of Nagaland resigned, saying there was ‘no unity and coordination’ in the ruling alliance. Yeangpong Konyak, a dissident MLA of majority partner Nagaland Peoples Front and among the six who did not attend the NPF Legislature Party meeting at Chief Minister N Rio’s residence during the day, and Kutovi, an associate member of the NPF, sent their resignations to the Chief Minister. Konyak is the parliamentary secretary to the geology and mining department and Kutovi, who too was not present at the meeting, is adviser to the Nagaland Bamboo Mission. Kutovi had been dropped from the Rio ministry during the downsizing exercise and rehabilitated as adviser to the Bamboo Mission. Similarly, Konyak was appointed a parliamentary secretary - a post equivalent to the rank of a minister. He is not among the four NPF MLAs who have been suspended. At the NPFLP meeting, 26 out of the 32 MLAs of the party reaffirmed their faith in the leadership of Rio following the demand for a change of guard by the dissidents.

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