All eight Congress MLAs of Nagaland have been suspended from the party with effect from May 9 and also served with show cause notices, within seven days as to why action should not be taken against them for violating the party directions by joining NPF government headed by T.R.Zeliang that has BJP legislator(s) in the ministry.
The show cause notice and suspension order dated May 9, was issued by V. Narayanasamy All India Congress Committee in-charge North Eastern States.
The AICC in-charge of North Eastern States drew the attention of the Congress MLAs to the “clear direction” given by the AICC president not to join the T.R. Zeliang government if the BJP was also a partner and cited the swearing-in of one BJP legislator as minister in the “Nagaland NPF government”.
Further Narayanasamy pointed out to the press conference called by newly appointed NPCC president K. Therie on May 6, wherein he stated that since BJP was part of NPF government in Nagaland, the Congress “will not join the government.”
He said Therie had also sent a written communication to CLP leader Tokheho Yepthomi on May 8 that Congress MLAs should not join the NPF government as per the directions of the AICC president.
However, Narayanasamy pointed out that on May 8, Congress MLAs joined the NPF government headed by T.R.Zeliang. In the notice, Narayanasamy charged the Congress MLAs of having “violated” the AICC’s direction by joining the NPF government headed by T.R.Zeliang either as cabinet/Advisor to the chief minister or as parliamentary secretary in the government.
Meanwhile, one of the Congress legislators and CLP leader Tokheho Yepthomi, who was sworn-in Friday as minister , when asked about the AICC’s show cause notice and suspension order, informed that, it has not been received by them (at the time of filing this report).
Asked on the future course of action, in the light of being suspended from the membership of the Congress, Tokheho said that irrespective of the AICC’s suspension order, they would continue to remain as Congress members in the Assembly till completion of its tenure.
Tokheho said that under Congress constitution at least two weeks time should be given when served with show cause notice but he was told that only seven days was given to them to explain their stand.
The CLP leader said that the MLAs will explain to AICC on what stand they have decided to join NPF-led DAN-III and in the event that they are expelled he said they will continue as Congress MLAs though they will not have anything to do with party affairs.
Even prior to joining the NPF-led DAN government, state Congress MLAs had taken the stand, that the eight of them had remained steadfast in supporting T.R.Zeliang while the BJP switched sides to support the dissident NPF Noke-Kaito group.
While reiterating that it will not have any truck with the BJP in any form, the Congress maintained, that when BJP had ditched T.R.Zeliand during the crisis whereas, it did not waver from its support to T.R.Zeliang. The Congress said it had backed T.R.Zeliang to prevent a constitutional crisis and blamed the BJP for prolonging the crisis.
On the other hand, the state BJP had expressed strong opposition against the entry of the Congress in the DAN government on the ground that it has been a pre and post poll ally of NPF since 2003.
This was reaffirmed by BJP national president Amit Shah during his April 17 visit to Dimapur.
It may also be pointed out that the suspension of the eight Congress MLAs would not change the current equation in the expanded DAN ministry.
The suspended MLAs will continue to be members of the assembly; though outside the house, they would no longer be members of the Congress.
After suspension of membership from the Congress, the suspended MLAs cannot join/merge of form another party.
Such a situation would suit chief minister T.R. Zeliang since it would be seen as a way out of the impasse caused by the “principled stand” of the BJP-Congress not to have any truck with either in any form by joining the DAN government.