Nagaland MP suspended from NPF

Nagaland's lone Lok Sabha member Neiphiu Rio was on Wednesday suspended from primary membership of the Naga People's Front (NPF), by the faction led by dismissed Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu, for "anti-party activities".

The action against Rio, a former Chief Minister, came after the NPF's legislature party led by Chief Minister T.R.Zeliang appointed him as the interim party president.

This is the second time that Rio has been suspended from NPF.

"He has been suspended again for directly involved in splitting the NPF legislators for furtherance of his hidden agenda," said NPF's Working Presidents Huskha Yepthomi and Apong Pongener.

They alleged that the three-time former Chief Minister was involved in anti-party activities by way of associating with the expelled and suspended NPF legislators even after his earlier suspension order was revoked.

In May 2016, Rio was suspended from the primary and active membership of the party on charges of destabilising the previous Zeliang government.

The party, headed by Liezietsu, is facing a severe internal crisis, especially after Zeliang was sworn in as Chief Minister for the second time on July 19.

It also asked its rebel party legislators owing allegiance to Zeliang to return to the party fold before August 5, or face disqualification.

The Liezietsu-headed NPF had expelled 20 NPF legislators and suspended 10 others, who were involved in toppling his government, from the party's primary membership for violating the party's constitution.

Zeliang was the first to be expelled from the NPF for six years while taking oath as Chief Minister after Governor P.B. Acharya dismissed Liezietsu for failing to prove majority in the assembly.

--IANS

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