Suspended Naga Cong MLAs not to Leave Govt
Published: 11th May 2015 05:58 AM | Last Updated: 11th May 2015 05:58 AM | A+A A-
GUWAHATI: All the eight suspended Congress legislators in Nagaland are headed to New Delhi to “explain their position” to the party leadership.
They were suspended and served with showcause notices by the Congress leadership on Saturday night, a day after they had joined the state’s ruling alliance government. They were given seven days’ time to respond to the notices.
A precedent was set on Friday when the Congress legislators joined TR Zeliang’s alliance government where the BJP has its presence. Nowhere in the country are the Congress and the BJP in the same government.“They have been served with the suspension order but they said they have not received it as yet. They are going to Delhi to explain their position to the leadership,” party spokesman G K Zhimomi told Express.
“The perception among us is that they would continue to remain in the Congress. We don’t think they will float a party. Had it been so, they could have done that before,” he added.
Congress MLA Tokheho Yepthomi, who was inducted into the cabinet, said the party MLAs would explain to the leadership what made them to join the government.
“Irrespective of the suspension order, we would continue to remain as Congress members in the Assembly though we will have nothing to do with party affairs,” he said.
Interestingly, after the Congress legislators joined, the government has left the state with no opposition party. In the 60-member House, the ruling alliance has 52 members. BJP, Naga People’s Front (NPF), the JD (U) and the NCP are the constituents while some Independents are giving outside support to the government.
While Yepthomi was inducted into the Cabinet, five others were appointed as Parliamentary Secretaries, one as Deputy Speaker in the Assembly and another as advisor to the Chief Minister.