Nagaland Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Sunday sacked 4 ministers and 10 of his parliamentary secretaries as the crisis within the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) deepened.

The chief minister recommended Governor PB Acharya to remove Home Minister Yanthungo Patton, Power Minister Kipili Sangtam, National Highway and Political Affairs Minister G Kaito Aye, Forest and Environment and Climate Change Minister Imkong L Imchen from the Cabinet.

Earlier, former Chief Minister TR Zeliang staked claim to form the government claiming that he enjoyed the support of 41 of the 59 MLAs, after a majority of ruling NPF legislators rebelled against the chief minister.

After Zeliang wrote to Governor Acharya, the CM sacked four minister, 4 NPF legislators and six independent legislators.

According to reports, the 34 NPF legislators, have been camping at a resort in Kaziranga in Assam.

"All 41 of us are intact and we are waiting only for Governor Acharya to invite Zeliang to form the government," Forest and Environment Minister Imkong L. Imchen told IANS.

"We don't care about (suspension from the party) it because those people who have signed the suspension order do not have the grassroots support," Imchen said, while refusing to divulge further.

Governor Acharya is in Maharashtra and he is expected to return to Nagaland in a few days.

BY-ELECTION ON JULY 29

The fresh political instability has come at a time when Liezietsu is gearing up for the July 29 by-election from the Northern Angami-I assembly constituency.

CM Liezietsu took over from Zeliang on Februrary 22 this year, following the state-wide protest against the holding of election to the urban local bodies with 33 per cent reservation for women.

"The current issue is within the NPF party and will be resolved at the earliest to bring about normalcy in the state. The mandate of the people will be respected and the present crisis will be resolved in the larger interest of the people of the state," Liezietsu stated.

CM APPEALS FOR CALM

Noting that the NPF-led government will complete its full term, the beleaguered Chief Minister appealed to the people of the state to remain calm.

In the truncated 59-member assembly, the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland coalition government comprises 47 NPF legislators, including ten suspended, four Bharatiya Janata Party and eight Independents.

Interestingly, Zeliang has even warmed up to his once bitter rival Neiphiu Rio, a three-time Nagaland Chief Minister.

Rio, the lone Lok Sabha member from Nagaland, was suspended a couple of years back for "anti-party activities", particularly against Zeliang. (With inputs from IANS)

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