In a day of dramatic developments, the Congress on Saturday turned the tables on the BJP by finally replacing its Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, a move that led to the return of its rebels back to its fold and paved the way for a Congress Government in Arunachal Pradesh with a brute majority. Interestingly, it was the Congress leadership’s refusal to remove Tuki as the Chief Minister in the first place that had led to a revolt in the party and its subsequent loss of power in the State.
Pema Khandu, the son of former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who lost his life in a plane crash in 2011, is the Congress’
Chief Minister-designate now. Claiming the support of 46 MlAs, including two Independents, Khandu staked claim to form a Government.
Governor Tathgata Roy is, however, yet to take a call.
Following a direction from the party high command in New Delhi, Tuki convened a meeting of the Congress legislature Party (ClP) in the morning and proposed the name of Pema as its leader. The proposal was supported by 44 Congress legislators, including former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul - who led the dissident faction of the Congress and toppled the Nabam Tuki Government in February this year.
Tuki, who was supposed to prove majority in floor of the Assembly on Saturday after the Supreme Court on Wednesday restored the Congress Government, met Arunachal Pradesh acting Governor Tathagata Roy at the Raj Bhavan and tendered his resignation.
Elected the ClP leader, Pema too rushed to the Raj Bhawan thereafter to stake claim to form the Government. The day’s developments came as a major boost for the Congress in the State which was rocked by dissidence since November last year and just a couple of days after the BJP held a rally with ‘Congress-Mukt North East’ call.
“I met the Governor today and staked claim to form the Government. At present there are 44 Congress legislators (excluding him) and two Independents who are supporting me. The Governor told me that he will go through the papers and let us know. I am not sure about the date of swearing-in so far as we are waiting for a response from the Governor,” said Pema after coming out of the Raj Bhawan.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who hails from the State, however sought to distance the BJP from developments in Arunachal Pradesh. “The BJP and the Central Government have nothing to do with whatever is happening in Arunachal Pradesh. The political instability has been happening in last seven months due to the division within the Congress. We have nothing to do with the internal matter of the Congress,” said Rijiju.
A graduate from the Delhi University’s Hindu College, Pema was inducted in the Tuki Cabinet in 2011 and was given the portfolios of Tourism and Water Resources Development. He, however, resigned in 2015 due to his differences of opinion with Tuki.
Tuki, on the other hand, said that he had sacrificed his position for strengthening of democracy within the party and added that the coming together of all the Congress legislators in the State is a victory for the Congress.
The Raj Bhawan is yet to come out with a statement regarding the scheduled floor test, wherein the Congress now looks all set to romp home victorious.
The Supreme Court last week termed the decision of Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa advancing session of the State Assembly by a month as violative of the Constitution and liable to be quashed. It directed status quo ante in Arunachal Pradesh as it prevailed on December 15, 2015.
The SC order further said that all steps and decision taken by the legislative Assembly pursuant to Governor’s December 9, 2015 order are unsustainable and liable to be quashed, paving way for restoration of the Congress Government in the State.
Following the SC verdict, the Governor reinstated Tuki as the Chief Minister and asked him to take a floor test on Saturday to prove the majority of his Government in the House. Although Tuki appealed the Governor to defer the floor test by ten days, the Governor refused and asked to hold the floor test as scheduled.
In February this year, leader of a dissident faction of the Congress Kalikho Pul unseated Tuki and formed the Government with support of 30 dissident Congress legislators (including him), 11 BJP legislators and two Independent legislators. The Chief Minister other 29 dissident Congress leaders later joined the Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA).