DIMAPUR, July 22 - Ten Ministers have been inducted into TR Zeliang Cabinet in Nagaland today. However, their portfolios were not allocated till the time of filing this report.
Governor PB Acharya administered the oath office and secrecy to the newly-inducted Ministers at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, in Kohima, today evening. Most of the the new Ministers are old faces from the previous Ministryand include G Kaito Aye, Imkong L Imchen, Tokheho, Y Patton, C Kipili Sangtam, Dr Nicky Kire, Kejong Chang, Neiba Kronu, Imtilemeba Sangtam and Mmhonlumo Kikon.
The Cabinet strength of Zeliang Ministry now stands at 11, including the CM himself.
However, the crisis in NPF, one faction led by former Chief Minister Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu and the other by the incumbent Chief Minister, is deepening further and does not seem to end in the near future.
The NPF headed by Liezietsu yesterday expelled 19 legislators from the party indefinitely and suspended another 10 with immediate effect. With this, only five NPF legislators (excluding the Speaker) in support of Zeliang have been spared by Liezietsu faction of the party.
Both the factions of NPF issued contrasting whips to the party MLAs in the Assembly on the eve of the confidence motion held on Friday.
NPF working presidents � Huskha Yepthomi and Apong Pongener � in the order stated that based on the recommendation of the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC), 19 legislators were expelled from the party indefinitely.
The order stated that the DAC, in its meeting on July 21, re-examined the activities of the 19 members and found that they had directly violated the constitution of the NPF by demanding the resignation of the NPF president Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu without any basis. They also violated the party constitution by defying the whip on the floor of the House on July 21.
The listed members have been expelled since the party has come to the conclusion that the members were involved in anti-party activities and singularly aimed at dividing the party, the order stated. Altogether the party has now expelled 20 legislators including Zeliang.
In another order, Liezietsu-led NPF informed that based on the DAC�s recommendation, the NPF president has suspended the primary and active membership of 10 legislators.
In the order, the NPF stated that the 10 members, who were party to the resolution of the Legislature party of NPF and the CEC to support the bye-election of the party president, had indulged in activities against the bye-election by demanding the resignation of Liezietsu as the Chief Minister.
It said they had also directly challenged the NPF constitution by demanding the resignation of the party president which is a �clear case of anti-party activities.� The NPF further said the members had also violated the party�s constitution by going against the party whip on the floor of the House on July 21.
