Veteran leader and party president Shurhozelie Liezeitsu Veteran leader and party president Shurhozelie Liezeitsu

Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) president Shurhozelie Liezeitsu will be sworn in as the state’s eleventh Chief Minister Wednesday. He was on Monday invited by Governor P B Acharya to form the next government after the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) unanimously elected him leader of its legislature party. Accompanied by the outgoing Chief Minister T R Zeliang, Shurhozelie met the Governor at the Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form the next government.

Zeliang stepped down on Sunday in the wake of violent protests that broke out when his government wanted to hold municipal elections with 33 per cent reservation for women. Various tribal groups opposed the civic elections on the ground that certain provisions of Nagaland Municipal Act framed under Article 243(T) of the Constitution allegedly infringed upon Naga tradition and customs that are protected under Article 371(A).

The Nagaland Assembly has no Opposition and all 60 MLAs in the House belong to DAN — 49 NPF, four BJP and seven Independents. Sources said that 58 DAN MLAs signed in favour of 81-year old Shurhozelie on Monday.

DAN’s move to elect Shurhozelie legislature party leader also brought to an end speculation about former CM Neiphiu Rio returning to state politics. Rio, currently the lone Lok Sabha member from Nagaland, was expelled from the NPF in May 2016 for his alleged anti-party activities and this became a “technical problem” in his attempt to get elected as the next Chief Minister.

Rio had on Saturday evening almost convinced majority of the NPF and Independent MLAs to back him during the legislature party meetings of DAN and NPF on Monday. But party leaders cited the “technical” problem and supported Shurhozelie.

Eight-time MLA, Shurhozelie, had not contested the 2013 Assembly polls and will now have to get elected through a byelection within six months.

Meanwhile, Nagaland Tribes Action Committee and Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), which spearheaded the agitation against the Zeliang-led government, have decided to call off an indefinite bandh they had called to demand the CM’s resignation. “We are calling off the bandh, but will keep pressing for our other demands — suspension of former Dimapur Police Commissioner and amending the Nagaland Municipal Act so that the provision for 33 per cent women’s reservation is removed,” a JCC spokesperson said.

DAN comprises of 49 NPF legislators, 4 BJP and seven Independents. Zeliang had to resign after a series of incidents rocked the state when his government wanted to hold municipal elections with 33 per cent reservation for women. Various tribal groups opposed the civic elections on the ground that certain provisions of the Nagaland Municipal Act framed under Article 243(T) of the Constitution allegedly infringed upon Naga tradition and customs as protected under Article 371(A).

Sources in Kohima said altogether 58 DAN MLAs on Monday signed in favour of the 81-year old Shurhozelie Liezeitsu, thus also putting an end to speculations that former chief minister Neiphiu Rio would replace Zeliang. Rio, currently lone Lok Sabha member from Nagaland was expelled from the NPF in May 2016 for his alleged anti-party activities, which became a “technical problem” in his attempt to get elected as the new chief minister.

Rio had on Saturday evening almost convinced majority of the NPF and Independent MLAs to back him during the crucial legislature party meetings of the DAN and NPF held in Kohima on Monday. But party leaders cited the “technical” problem that stood in Rio’s way, leading to a near-unanimous decision in favour of Shurhozelie Leizeitsu.

Eight times MLA, Shurhozelie however had not contested the 2013 assembly elections, and will now have to get elected through a by-election within six months. Chosen as the eleventh chief minister of Nagaland, Shurhozelie is also a noted litterateur and linguist who has Meanwhile, the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) and Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) have decided to call of the indefinite bandh that they had imposed against government offices from February 6 demanding resignation of chief minister Zeliang. “We are calling off the indefinite bandh, but our other demands – suspension of former Dimapur Police Commissioner and amending the Nagaland Municipal Act so that the provision for 33 per cent women’s reservation which infringes upon Naga tradition and customs was removed,” a JCC spokesman said.

Eminent author who brought school reforms

Guwahati: Born on November 20, 1936, Shurhozelie Liezeitsu is known not just as a politician, but also as a scholar, author and linguist. He is credited with redefining school education in Nagaland by introducing a new set of textbooks and several other reforms.

A former minister for higher education, he was also associated with policy making and was behind introduction of the Compact Area Development Scheme, later named Local Area Development Fund, in Nagaland. The president of Ura Academy, Nagaland’s highest literary body, Shurhozelie started out as an upper division assistant in the state secretariat when the state was created in 1963. He soon shifted to teaching.

First elected to the Assembly in 1969, he has served as a minister for education, planning and coordination and urban development.

Author of four novels and several collections of poetry, he has also written dictionaries and books related to Tenyidie language and biographies and essays. He is also the first to have been conferred a DLit (honorary) by the Nagaland University in 2003. ens

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