Change of guard on expected lines: Hokheto

Two-time Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president Hokheto Sumi who was recently relieved of his post, has said the news of his removal as PCC chief was on expected lines and did not come as a shock to him.
“There was a proposal (move) from the State Congress legislators for change of leadership in the State and the AICC has accepted the proposal,” Hokheto said during an interaction with mediapersons Sunday here at his private residence.
On July 31, National Congress president Sonia Gandhi approved the “proposal” for appointing another senior Congress leader KV Pusa, MLA, as ad-hoc president of NPCC.
Hokheto whose second stint as State PCC chief expired in May last, said his case was not an exception since the ad-hoc arrangement had also been effected in the states of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.
He said the move to have change of leadership gathered momentum after the defeat of the Congress party in the recent State Assembly election.
Asked if he was disappointed with the decision of the party high command and whether he felt his removal was unceremonious, the Congress leader said he was always ready to abide by the directive of the high command.
He however admitted that he faced an “embarrassing situation” when he had gone to New Delhi representing the State as PCC chief, to attend an AICC meeting slated for August 1, in connection with Rajiv Gandhi Panchayati Raj Sangethan.
He said the moment he landed in Delhi on August 31, he received a call from Congress Bhavan, Kohima, informing him that the office had received a fax from Delhi on appointment of adhoc president of NPCC.
“Anyway as I had already arrived and since Panchayati Raj minister Aiyar also said it was alright, I attended the meeting,” he added.
When queried whether the change of leadership would impact the State Congress, Hokheto replied, “that is the expectation of our legislators and maybe conceded to by the high command.”
He also expressed confidence that Pusa would be able to take the Party to greater heights, “since he is an experienced person and a senior Congress leader in the State.”
Hokheto also dismissed any speculation of him joining other political parties. “I joined the Congress party in 1985 after giving proper thought and I will end my political career in the Congress,” the veteran Congress leader said.