TR Zeliang steps down amid reservation row
Source: The Sangai Express / Economic Times

Guwahati, February 19 2017: Bowing down to sustained agitation by the tribal bodies, Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang has stepped down from office.

According to a statement from Zeliang on Sunday, "To select a new consensus leader to succeed me, I hereby call for an emergency meeting of Naga People's Front (NPF) legislature party on Monday.

This will be followed by a meeting of Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) legislature party" .

He added that meeting will select a consensus leader to ensure a smooth transition of office and to provide the best governance to the people of Nagaland.

In a fast changing political drama in Nagaland, majority of MLAs of ruling DAN, who were camping in a resort in Assam, moved back to Nagaland on Sunday.

In a meeting, they decided to elect NPF legislature president Dr Sh�rhozelie Liezietsu as its leader.

On Saturday, around 49 MLAs has switched loyalty in favour of Lok Sabha MP and three-time former CM Neiphiu Rio to be the next Chief Minister of the State.

On February 15, they petitioned incumbent Chief Minister TR Zeliang to step down and put their weight behind Sh�rhozelie.

NPF president told ET, "We still hold the trump card and things will be normal soon.

Just wait and see" .

In a press communique issued late night on Saturday, NPF stated addressing an emergency meeting of the ruling NPF Central Executive Council and the Central office bearers along with the division presidents, Dr Shurhozelie comforted the party functionaries saying that nothing could go wrong since the party organisation is intact and appealed to the functionaries not to be disheartened.

"Some of our legislators have gone to Kaziranga in Assam but they are still NPF legislators and we are in touch with many of them," he said and assured the party workers that "changes will take place in our favour in a day or two" .

Some other leaders pointed out that the present Kaziranga episode will flop like the failed coup d'�tat of 2015 when a majority of the NPF legislators had embarked on the misadventure but were compelled to return to the party-fold.

In May 2015, there was a similar move to unseat Zeliang and then also the MLAs had camped in Assam but Zeliang managed to thwart the attempt.

Rio was mulling to come back as Chief Minister.

There is unrest following opposition to 33 per cent reservation of women in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC), which is spearheading the movement against the reservation, has insisted on the resignation of Zeliang.

NTAC on Saturday requested Governor PB Acharya not to entertain any alternate arrangements till the Chief Minister, TR Zeliang steps down.

NTAC convener KT Vilie has dashed a letter to Governor where he stated Zeliang has sought two to three days for him to step down from the chair "in order to ensure the smooth transition of office and in the larger interest of the State" .

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