The ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) today suspended two more of its legislators, including a Cabinet Minister of the dissident group led by G Kaito Aye.
NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu during a press conference held at the Party Central Office here this evening announced that Minister for PHE Noke Wangnao and MLA Imkong L Imchen have been suspended from the party for anti-party activities.
He said the two suspended legislators have by their actions of associating themselves with detractors have committed serious breach of discipline of the NPF as enshrined in the constitution of the party.
With this, the NPF has suspended three ministers, five parliamentary secretaries and one MLA from the party.
Liezietsu alleged that they have been sabotaging the leadership of T R Zeliang, in whom the NPF party has placed utmost confidence and trust and also have been conspiring to overawe and overthrow the legitimate government in the State.
The NPF president suspended them from the primary and active membership of the party with immediate effect until further orders and also notified that they will have no participatory or voting rights in all political/legislature party forums, except voting rights on the floor of the legislative assembly in accordance with party whip.
Noke, who had been holding the charge of Minister for PHE in the T R Zeliang Ministry had resigned from the portfolio on January 7 to support the dissident leader Kaito Aye.
Minister for Industries and Commerce G Kaito Aye and Minister for Roads and Bridges Kuzholuzo Azo Nienu along with five parliamentary secretaries were suspended by the party president on January 5 after they along with some other members of NPF openly rebelled against the incumbent Chief Minister T R Zeliang.
The NPF president maintained that after election of then Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to the Lok Sabha after May 2014 polls, the current Chief Minister, Zeliang, was unanimously chosen to lead the state and all members of NPF, as per the provisions of its constitution, ought to repose utmost trust in him for the continued success of the party and the government.
In the wake of a rebellion within the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF), Zeliang had yesterday claimed majority in the House and sought a "vote of confidence" in the state Assembly.
