With the crucial vote of confidence to clear the political log-jam caused by the “internal problem” on his government slated for Thursday, chief minister T. R. Zeliang made a final appeal to legislators to exercise their vote according to their free-will and clear conscience and also cautioned that those who defy the party whip, would face disqualification.
Addressing media persons at his residence here Tuesday evening, the chief minister said the floor test would clear the air of confusion of who has majority as his government enjoyed the support of 52 MLAs in a House of 60 because no group has official withdrawn support till date.
He said the Speaker will follow the procedure according to the rules and decide on whether the voting process will be through secret ballot, or head count or voice vote.
On party chief whips , Zeliang said DAN coalition partners have already appointed their respective chief whips and the Speaker would not accept any chief whip appointed by an unrecognised party.
To queries if the Noke-led NPF legislators vote for his government to avoid disqualification and again create the same problem after rejoining the government, Zeliang expressed the hope that it should not happen since their supporters and the public would not agree as they have to maintain their dignity and value as legislators.
The chief minister asserted that once a government was installed with majority support, it should be allowed to govern and members expected to deliver the goods to the people instead of continually fighting for ministerial berths or portfolios.He said the reason behind the current dissidence was for cabinet berths and portfolios.
Asked if the Congress would vote for the government, Zeliang said it was up to them. On the Noke-led group, he said 21 legislators in Sovima camp were under confinement but as no one wanted to be disqualified, they would vote once inside the house. He also informed, that the Speaker has made all necessary arrangements to ensure a security on February 5.
Zeliang said the Governor had given sufficient time for both NPF groups to reconcile but instead, the dissidents refused to do so and instead elected their own chief ministerial candidate and floated a parallel NPF with its president. He said before the cabinet recommended for a special session of the house, he convened a meeting of NPF and later DAN legislators but none from the dissident camp responded or attended. On February 5, Zeliang said the session will begin with Governor’s address, followed by discussions after which, voting would take place.
To a query, on who would be the BJP chief whip since there was confusion on the matter, Zeliang said the central BJP would issue the directive while the Speaker would make the arrangement.
The chief minister said reports that the Sovima campers welcomed the summoning of the assembly was “unbelievable” since, from the beginning of the crisis, truth was the biggest casualty in various press statements issued by the Sovima campers.
He cited the bogus and fabricated bank documents, alleging transfer of money abroad to the bank accounts in his and his wife’s name and spreading false rumours that the Election Commission will issue orders to both NPF factions not to issue party whip during the vote on February 5.
Zeliang said since the EC has no powers over such matters, it will never issue such orders. He said issuing party whips was purely within the domain of the house proceedings and used by and applicable to members of the house.
Meanwhile, in a press statement issued on Tuesday, chief minister T.R.Zeliang said his government decided to seek a vote of confidence in order to break the impasse caused by confinement of 21 MLAs at Sovima camp and also to counter the constant barrage of propaganda and distortion of facts by the dissidents that he was heading a minority government.
Zeliang also said the floor test was to call the bluff by the Sovima campers and to expose their tactics of trying to prevent the Governor from carrying out his constitutional obligations in summoning the house.
He cited the 91st constitutional amendment to the 10th Schedule which prohibited any elected member from indulging in anti-party activities or any act of defiance of the party whip etc and all of which attracted disqualification proceedings. He said the only escape route from disqualification was for the Sovima campers to constitute 2/3rd majority of the party legislators so as to cause a split and merge with another existing political party.
He said the dissidents dared not cause a split officially from the original NPF for fear of disqualification as they constituted lesser than 2/3rd majority. Zeliang opined that by the activities and press statements of the Sovima campers, it indicated that they have left the original NPF for which the party could initiate disqualification proceedings against any of the dissidents “irrespective of whether they defy the party whip within the house or not”.He however said the NPF was still giving more time to those who wanted to return to the party fold.
Zeliang also mentioned that during 2004 the DAN-I under Rio was saved by the 10th Schedule soon after it came into effect. At that time, he said 18 NPF legislators wanted to make Z.Obed as the chief minister as against 13 legislators supporting Rio.
Prior to amendment, 18 MLAs supporting Obed was less than 1/3rd so the dissidents could not cause a split for fear of disqualification, he said. Further, he said Dr.Zhürhozelie backed Rio and was saved. He said it was surprising, that today Rio was demanding that he(Zeliang) step down in a similar situation. “I leave it to people to judge who stands on principle and who does not”, said Zeliang.
Also in another release, chief whip of ruling Naga Peoples Front (NPF) Kiyaneilie Peseyie has issued whip to all the legislators elected on NPF tickets to cast their votes in favor of chief minister T.R. Zeliang in the Seventh Session of the Twelfth Nagaland Assembly, February 5.
Saturday, February 21, 2026