Soon after T R Zeliang resigned as Nagaland CM on Monday; the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) which has been in power for three terms in the state has elected him as its chairman. The Democratic Alliance of Nagaland is a coalition of the Naga People’s Front (NPF), BJP and Independents. Zeliang replaces CM-elect Shurhozelie Liezietsu as DAN chairman. It is to be noted that the post is very critical as it keeps him at an equally important position in the ruling party.
Shurhozelie, the new Nagaland Chief Minister elect, will be sworn in on Wednesday morning. It was Shurhozelie who proposed Zeliang’s name for the DAN chairman’s post which fell vacant as he was elected as the CM of the state. The proposal was “unanimously” accepted by the legislators. Zeliang will enjoy the status of a cabinet minister.
In the meantime, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee reiterated its demand for imposition of President’s Rule in the state by saying that merely removing Zeliang could not absolve DAN from its alleged wrongdoings. “Rather than singling out Zeliang and abandoning him, the NPF-led government should collectively own moral responsibility and gracefully step down for betraying the people of Nagaland,” a statement issued by the NPCC in Kohima said.
