United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Chairman, T. R. Zeliang has said that the merger of 21 MLAs with NDPP is constitutionally valid and not a defection.
Clarifying on the confusions that have surfaced in public domain in regard to the latest political development wherein 21 NPF MLAs have merged with NDPP Party through a press conference on Friday, Zeliang said, the decision of 21 MLAs was consciously decided according to the law of the land.
He said, the development was not decided overnight but was a result of thorough deliberation between the two Parties, NDPP and NPF since 2021.
He said it was a consensus decision that the two Regional Parties must come together and form one strong Regional Party and therefore it was not a sudden step for NPF MLAs to finally merge with the NDPP.
Zeliang pointed that on the amendment of Clause 4(1) of the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 2003, if two-third of elected Members of a Political Party decides to join another Party, they can do so with or without Party functionaries. He also said that Clause 4(2) of the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, whether Party comes along with MLAs or not, the word “deemed to have taken place implies that if two-third Members of a Legislature Party agrees to merge with another Political Party, then it should be taken that there was a Merger for the purpose of Clause 4 of the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
On the demand of NPF party for UDA Chairman and the ministerial berth, Zeliang said, NPF had never demanded the Ministerial berth saying that it was the decision of the Chief Minister while the post of UDA Chairman was decided by the 60 elected MLAs.
He said, if any changes need to take place, it should be on the discretion of the Chief Minister and the elected members.
The UDA chairman also denied on some members were forcefully hijacked to join the NDPP.
(With AIR inputs)