New Delhi, January 2
Nagaland is set to come under President’s rule with the Centre recommending it to President Pratibha Patil, home ministry sources today said.

The papers were sent to the President, who is at present in Hyderabad, the sources said.

They said Patil was considering the recommendation, which was made at an unscheduled cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday.

The cabinet meeting was convened at a short notice to discuss the fluid political situation in Nagaland where BJP-backed Democratic Alliance of Nagaland is in power.

Strongly reacting to reports that his state was heading for President’s rule, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said: “Such a move will be illegal and unconstitutional as I have come to power only after being elected democratically and my government has won the trust vote in Nagaland assembly on December 13”.

Rio survived a controversial no-confidence motion in the assembly on December 13 when the motion was defeated 23-19 in the 60-member House after speaker barred three Independents from taking part in the voting and held that the votes of nine dissident ruling NPF members were invalid.

An angry Rio told PTI over phone from Kohima that the Congress does not want to face the people of Nagaland, which goes to poll next month.

“The Congress wants to disrupt the election. If they impose President’s rule and dismiss my democratically-elected government, it would be nothing but murder of democracy,” the Chief Minister said.

The nine dissident legislators had sided with the opposition Congress which demanded immediate dismissal of the DAN government. The BJP, however, strongly opposed any such move.

The saffron party has alleged defections and resignations of legislators were being mustered to topple the Rio government.

Congress MLAs from Nagaland had met the President here on December 23 and demanded dismissal of the state government, claiming it had lost the vote of confidence. — PTI