Merger with NDPP constitutionally valid ‘whether one likes it or not’: TR

May 7, 2022 53 Views No Comment

‘We should not leave room for undue advantage to be taken by third parties’

Morung Express News
Choümukedima | May 7

Former Chief Minister and Chairperson of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), TR Zeliang today stated that “whether one likes it or not,” the merger of the 21 NPF MLAs with the NDPP is legally correct and it should be treated as merger and not otherwise as expressed by some leaders.

He said this during a press conference at the Sky Garden, 7th Mile, Choümukedima on Friday evening.

This comes after recent political developments in the state took place where 21 out of the 25 NPF MLAs joined with the NDPP on April 29. Zeliang added, “Here I want to clarify to the Naga people that whatever we have done is according to the law of the land.”

Justifying their actions, he cited the example of the three NCP MLAs joining the BJP in 2015 wherein the Kohima Bench of the Guwahati High Court ruled in favour of them through the Tenth Schedule (amended), clause 4 of the Indian Constitution. Specifically in the instance, “If 2/3 of the members of a political party so decide to join another political party, they can do so with or without party functionaries.” As such he said, “It is aptly clear that the merger is constitutionally valid.”

Zeliang also hit out at certain political leaders, commenting on the merger by mentioning that, “party leaders or MLAs should update themselves with the law of the land before expressing their own views out of ignorance of the law which may mislead the general public.”

With regard to the question of whether or not he and Yollow Konyak should vacate their respective positions within the UDA government, he reasoned that it depends on the decision of the three coalition partners including the three Independents and the Chief Minister. “The NPF never demanded that Yollow be appointed as a cabinet minister, but it was the decision of the Chief Minister,” he noted. “The NPF alone cannot decide on this matter,” he added.

When asked about the prospects of seat-sharing in the up-coming state assembly elections, he remarked that it was already appropriate as it is with the current dispensation. The NDPP currently has 42 seats in the assembly, including the 21 former NPF legislators.

Zeliang also mentioned that the current political development was not made overnight as, “It was a thorough deliberation between the two regional parties, NPF and the NDPP.” He pronounced that the decision was made according to past discussions in 2019, 2020 and 2021 in consideration of the political dialogue between the Government of India and the Naga negotiating groups.

“As such, talks were held discretely at the highest level to work out an acceptable formula to amalgamate the two regional parties namely the NPF and the NDPP,” he commented.

Furthermore, he remarked that the need to have a strong regional party was put in place so as to prevent outside political parties from taking advantage of the situation as it had happened in the past. He pointed to what had occurred during the 2018 state assembly elections with the BJP. He nevertheless opined that whether it was the BJP or any other national party, “We should not leave room for undue advantage to be taken by third parties.”

Source: https://morungexpress.com/merger-with-ndpp-constitutionally-valid-whether-one-likes-it-or-not-tr