DIMAPUR, July 12 - Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Sh�rhozelie Liezietsu has written a letter to Speaker Dr Imptiwapang Aier stating that the question of summoning the State Assembly on or before July 15 to hold the vote of confidence does not arise since the Cabinet had not recommended the same to the Governor.
Governor PB Acharya yesterday directed Chief Minister Sh�rhozelie to obtain a vote of confidence on the floor of the Assembly on or before July 15. A Raj Bhavan release said the directive comes following the claim submitted by former Chief Minister TR Zeliang to form the new government.
Zeliang claimed that he commands support of 34 NPF MLAs and seven Independents out of 59 members. The release also refuted the reports circulating on social media that the Governor had issued directive to postpone the floor test in view of the forthcoming presidential election scheduled for July 17.
Citing the instance of Nabam Rebia and Bamang Felix Vs Deputy Speaker of Arunachal Pradesh Assembly, Sh�rhozelie, in the letter, maintained that the Supreme Court had clearly laid down that the Governor has no authority on his own to summon, prorogue or dissolve the Legislative Assembly. The Governor can only do so on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, he added. �Since the Council of Ministers has not advised the Governor to summon the Assembly, the question of summoning the Assembly on or before July 15 does not arise,� the CM reiterated.
Sh�rhozelie said the present political crisis is an internal NPF family issue and that they will try to solve the problem among themselves. He is also optimistic that the MLAs who are camping in Kaziranga will return soon and join his fold again.
According to a communiqu� issued jointly by Sh�rhozelie Lieziets� and Cabinet Secretary Pankaj Kumar, the present dissidence within the NPF legislature was caused by dissident MLAs for change of leadership and so an internal party affair. There is no split in the NPF party and it supports the present Council of Ministers headed by Sh�rhozelie, it said.
Meanwhile, former CM Zeliang has refuted the claims made by NPF spokesperson Yitachu that CM Sh�rhozelie offered him the office of Chief Minister but he declined the offer. Zeliang, who issued a statement as leader of NPF Legislature Party and DAN chairman, said the statement of Yitachu was �a concoction of untruths.�
