T.R.Zeliang responds to allegations

State chief minister T.R.Zeliang has issued a candid statement while responding to the present crisis in the NPF and allegations made against him by the Kaito group. In the statement, Zeliang said NPF was given an absolute mandate to run the affairs of Nagaland and which demanded that the NPF reposed the trust by providing a stable government to deliver the goods in time.
He said it was unfortunate that “disgruntled elements within NPF legislators, have taken their self-interest above people’s welfare and have been brazenly trying to victimize the people by attempting to disrupt the smooth sailing of the duly elected government”.
 Zeliang said leadership “cannot be imposed upon the people nor should be purchased” and vowed not to bow down nor allow the NPF party to succumb to pressure tactics and psychological game plan of some members, whom he accused of betraying the trust reposed on the NPF by the people.  On change of leadership, Zeliang said it should be based on sound reason and through a consensus decision of the NPF party but not at the whims and fancy of some elected members “who desperately want to grasp power”.
He also said changing leadership two or three times during the five-year tenure “without any valid reason” will leave no time for the government to work for the people and which would be a failure “on our part” as responsible elected members.
Zeliang also admitted that no chief minister can ever fully satisfy the demands of all members for plump portfolios or cabinet berths and that as the chosen leader, he had tried his best to meet the needs of every legislator during the change of guard(when he took over from Rio) hoping that the legislators would keep in mind the welfare of the people above their self-interests. He said it was however unfortunate that “some responsible leaders have failed to understand their sworn responsibility”.
On the charge against him by the Kaito group on not doing anything to make the government of India solve the Naga political problem, Zeliang said it was “ an absurd allegation”. He said right from the time he took up responsibility as chief minister, he had reminded the government of India on many occasions, that solution remained the ardent desire of Nagas and that it was time for the government of India not to further procrastinate on the issue. He said it was known to all , that the “Indo-Naga” conflict of more than six decades cannot be solve within midnight. Zeliang pointed out that if even his predecessor Neiphiu Rio, who was chief minister for more than a decade, could do little or nothing on the issue and so asked can people expect him (Zeliang) to “do a miracle in seven months?”
On the charge that he was not having good relations with the NDA government at the Centre, Zeliang asserted that he has always maintained good rapport with the Centre and sill enjoyed their confidence. Zeliang pointed out he had been urging upon the government of India to “magnanimously come to rescue our poor fiscal health” on a number of occasions and also appraised the central leaders and the prime minister of the state’s fragile financial conditions and lack of revenue generating resources.
He said it was therefore “illogical” to blame him for not being able to improve the state’s financial position “within a short span of time.”
Zeliang reminded, that when he took over, he inherited a huge deficit burden from his predecessor and was clearing up the financial mess vis-à-vis redeeming the state’s financial position and saving the state and its people from a precarious position. He said the Centre took time to release money to all states as the planning commission was being replaced with NITI Aayog. Since the process was now over, he expressed the hope that the Centre would release money to the state in due time so as to regain its normal financial condition. On Neiphiu Rio, Zeliang reiterated that the former chief minister and current Lok Sabha MP “ was and is my best friend” and they had worked together to provide a stable government during the last two successive tenure of the NPF-led DAN.
Zeliang said he had sacrificed all his best by faithfully standing with Rio under the latter’s leadership for one decade of DAN regime. When Rio wanted to contest the Lok Sabah election, Zeliang said the NPF party and legislators tried to dissuade Rio from contesting and not to leave the state as it would weaken the party government.However, he said, when Rio insisted, the NPF had to agree and the NPF party and DAN alliance partners worked ensure Rio a huge victory margin.
Zelaing said “we have been grateful” to the people for reposing full trust in him(Rio) but said “I never expected that he will come back to state politics and play the role of ungrateful friend” instead of concentrating his assigned task in Delhi. He conclude saying “in politics, there is no permanent friend and no permanent foe”.