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| C.M. Chang |
In a surprising political development, by-election to the 51 Noksen assembly constituency in Tuensang district may be on the cards within the six-month stipulated period after C.M. Chang of the ruling NPF and present minister of education quit the assembly.
Talking to Nagaland Post over phone Tuesday evening, Mr. Chang, who had won the 51 Noksen assembly seat defeating his Congress rival and former minister H. Chuba Chang on February, said that he had submitted his resignation from the house to the Speaker on March 14, after the newly elected MLAs had taken the oath of affirmation.
Earlier, Mr Chang had taken the oath of office on March 5 and given the portfolio of school education. The portfolio was earlier held by Nyeiwang Konyak, who lost the February 23 election for the 47 Aboi to Eshak Konyak of the Congress.
Asked if he had resigned/vacated the lone Lok Sabha seat from Nagaland, Chang replied in the negative.
He clarified that he had disclosed during the campaign period, that he would be resigning from the Lok Sabha. However, media reported that he had resigned from the Lok Sabha.
“I have decided to sacrifice my assembly seat and not resign from the Lok Sabha” Chang told Nagaland Post.
Chang explained that he could remain as minister in the DAN-III coalition government as per the election law, for a period of six months during which, by-election will have to be held.
He referred to an earlier instance when late Vamuzo, who became chief minister of the JLP without being a member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Late Vamuzo won the 17 Chizami assembly seat unopposed as NPC candidate in the November 1990 by election.
The seat was vacated by the sitting MLA Kewezu Kenye of the NPC to facilitate late Vamuzo’s continuance as chief minister.
Chang also asserted that he will contest the election for 51 Noksen whenever scheduled by the ECI within the six-month period.
The main argument why Mr Chang is not relinquishing the Lok Sabha seat he won handsomely in 2009 as NPF candidate, was that if he quits the seat, then by-election to the lone Lok Sabha seat would have to be held within six months, possibly by September or October 2013.
It may be pointed out that the term of the current 15th Lok Sabha ends by May 2014. If by-election to the Lok Sabha seat in Nagaland is held in Sept-Oct 2013, it would again have to be held next year by April-May 2014, along with all other states.
Interestingly, when Nagaland Post contacted Election department sources, it was revealed that till date, no intimation whatsoever has been received from Nagaland Legislative Assembly regarding C.M. Chang’s resignation from the house.
Sources said on receipt of the notification, the same would be forwarded to the ECI to decide when the by-election would be held.
When asked why so much time had elapsed between March 14 to March 19, the sources opined that there could be some technicalities involved.
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