The Congress on Tuesday sought an enquiry by the Election Commission over the claims of the People’s Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPP) that they had merged with the Congress following a resolution last month leading to a second round of political crisis in the State.
The party through a memorandum said that no such meeting of State Congress unit took place over the merger with PPP on the said date (September16) and that such a thing was null and void. "No such meeting was held and there was no decision taken either by the Indian National Congress or Arunachal Pradesh Congress for merger. It is brought to your notice no such meetings took place and thus the merger is not sustainable in the eyes of law and even contrary to the ECI rules," said the memorandum copy signed by former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and AICC Secretary KC Mittal.
The Congress has accused the BJP of engineering the defection and described the PPA as the "illegitimate child" of the saffron party. Congress lost power for the second time in less than a year in Arunachal Pradesh in September 2016 after all but one of its MlAs joined PPA as regional party. Earlier in December 2015 more than 30 Congress rebels backed by the BJP had sided with the PPA leading to formation of a government of the regional party led by Kalikho Pul.
This September, crisis emerged two months after the party's government was restored by the Supreme Court. Forty-three MlAs led by chief minister Pema Khandu joined the PPA, leaving the Congress with only Tuki. The 43 includes assembly speaker TN Thongdok.