All states in the North-East region lack in good governance due to instability, crumbling coalitions and politics of mistrust and lust for the highest executive post in their respective states. It is generally said that the decision on formation of the coalitions and break ups are taken in the shortest possible time over dining tables. Further the politicians have been openly making mockery of anti-defection law by switching over all the members of a particular party in the Assembly enblock or walking over comfortably with the two third or more members with an aim to create new alignments with similar or ideologically different political parties to stake claims for the formation of alternative governments.The NE region has also been witnessing legal battles after formation of the alternative governments; Arunachal Pradesh witnessed dismissal of the government headed by late Kalikho Pul and re installation of the earlier Chief Minister and unusual comments by the Apex Court about the role of Governor. It looks that the politicians in North Eastern states are yet to understand the importance and relevance of the governance for economic development and feeling of taking all fellow partners along in the best interest of the citizens of the state.
The recent case in Nagaland can be termed as unprecedented and the first in the history of our parliamentary system. Never during last 65 years of our democratically elected governments had any leader of the house, Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha abstained during the scheduled session exclusively called by the Governor or President for a trial of strength between the existing government and the new claimant.
Chief Minister Shurohozellie Liezietsu was instructed by the Governor PB Acharya to secure a vote of confidence in the house consequent upon TN Zeliang claiming support of 54 members in the house of 70 for formation of the government. In fact, Liezietsy was twice or thrice asked by the governor to secure confidence of the House but the CM tried to avoid trial of strength, even he approached the High Court to get a stay; the court obliged him with a relief of two days, and later on decided not to intervene in the matter.
The Governor after the final order of the High Court again asked Liezietsy to go for trial of strength on the July 19. Instead of moving a confidence motion in the house, the Chief Minister opted to abstain from the sitting of the house; this is being referred as the first ever disobedience of the instructions of Governor and disrespecting the established practices.The CM knew that he did not enjoy the confidence of the house; he had two alternatives- to face the trial of strength or resign before the commencement of the special session or immediately after facing defeat in the house.
By abstaining from the house the CM invited dismissal by the Governor on the July 20. This Governor thereafter invited the former CM TN Zeliang to form the government and immediately administered him the oath of office and secrecy with a rider to prove his majority in the house within two days. The new CM proved majority in the house on the very next day after being sworn in. The role and intention of Liezietsyis unprecedented and will never be accepted as per established practices in our democratic structure.
(The writer is a veteran media communicator. The views are his own.)