Zeliang appoints one cabinet minister, 5 parliamentary secy

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang today elevated BJP legislator and parliamentary secretary Paiwang Konyak as Cabinet minister and appointed five new parliamentary secretaries including four Independents.

Governor P B Acharya administered the oath of office to Konyak at Raj Bhawan here in the presence of Zeliang, NPF president Shurhozelie Liezietsu, BJP president M Chuba, leaders of State JD(U) and senior, civil police and army officers.

Konyak would be the new Cabinet minister for Transport and Information and Public Relations. He was earlier the parliamentary sectary in the same departments.

BJP is a pre-poll ally in the NPF-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland along with JD(U).
 

Out of the 12 cabinet ministers in the state, four had been sacked by Zeliang for their rebellion activity along with dissident NPF legislators on January 5 last.

The state government has since been functioning with eight cabinet ministers including the Chief Minister.

Later, Zeliang administered oath of office to five new Parliamentary Secretaries including four Independents and one from BJP.

The Independent MLAs are Levi Rengma, Amenba Yaden, Y M Yollow Konyak, Toyang Changkong while Mmhonlumo Kikon is from BJP.

All five are first time MLAs.

The Chief Minister said that the portfolios would be allotted to them only after filling up the remaining posts of cabinet minister by the first week of May.

The 11-month old Zeliang ministry had faced upheaval with 22 NPF MLAs demanding change of leadership on January 5 last, which led to sacking of four cabinet ministers and also nine Parliamentary Secretaries.

The situation had forced Zeliang to move a Confidence Motion in the Assembly on February 5 wherein all elected members, including the Opposition Congress voted in favour of his leadership in the 60-member House.

However, the dissident group led by Noke Wangnao and G Kaito Aye continued with their campaign and went to the Election Commission seeking recognition as the original NPF party.

The EC directed the NPF to resolve the matter as per provisions under Article XV of the Party Constitution on 'dispute of leadership' by holding a general convention.

NPF president Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu has scheduled the general convention for April 30 to resolve the internal squabble.