Guwahati, June 12: The Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government will complete 100 days in office tomorrow, but dissent within the coalition continues to simmer.
As the government prepares a grand celebration in the state capital Kohima, some senior ministers appear peeved over being marginalised.
They are reportedly contemplating a written complaint to the Central leadership about chief minister Neiphiu Rio?s style of functioning.
A BJP minister from the state today said the largest constituent of the ruling coalition ? the Nagaland People?s Front (npf) ? was undermining the interest of other allies, and Rio was not receptive to suggestions from senior ministers belonging to smaller constituents.
The dissension in the coalition was sparked by allocation of portfolios, with Janata Dal (United) leader Huska Sumi ? who was ousted from the presidentship of the Nagaland People?s Council (npc) to form the NPF ? expressing dissent over agriculture portfolio allocated to him. The discontentment among the allies only grew over the days, with some senior ministers complaining to the NDA leadership in Delhi that Rio?s party was hijacking all the credit for the Centre?s development initiatives.
The total strength of the NDA constituents ? the BJP, the Janata Dal (United) and the Samata Party ? is 11, while the NPF has 21 legislators in the 60-member House.
?It is because of our presence in the government that the Centre has been so benevolent to Nagaland,? a senior minister claimed, after his return from the national capital.
He said that before coming out against the government, they would wait for the budgetary allocation to their respective departments.
?Should we be deprived of our due share in the allocation, we would definitely let the people know about the injustice. After all, we have some responsibility towards our electorate,? the minister said.