Arunachal: Congress in Soup Again as CM, 42 MLAs Quit to Join PPA

PPA is part of the North-East Democratic Alliance, formed by BJP with parties from the north-eastern states.

43 MLAs from the ruling Congress are set to join People’s Party of Arunachal. (Photo: Anjana Dutta)

In a shocker for Congress, all its MLAs except for Nabam Tuki, on Friday joined the People’s Party of Arunachal Pradesh. Because of this the party now faces the prospect of losing its government.

This mass departure also includes Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Sources said Khandu, who two months ago became chief minister in a development that restored the Congress government, along with 42 Congress MLAs joined the PPA and virtually converted it into a PPA government.

The only MLA who has stayed with the Congress is Tuki, who was replaced as chief minister when the Congress, in an effort to control the rebellion in its ranks, replaced him with Khandu in July.

It remains to be seen whether the PPA will align with BJP, which has 11 MLAs in the House.

Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for (MoS) Home Affairs, acknowledged the turn of events and said that the CM and MLAs have consciously decided to merge with the regional party and that BJP has nothing to do with this, reported ANI.

Congress shouldn’t blame BJP for its own failure. If the CM and ministers have to wait for days to meet their own leadership in Delhi, how can they stay in such party?

Kiren Rijiju, MoS to reporters

PPA is a part of the North-East Democratic Alliance, which was formed by BJP along with parties from the north-eastern states.

The political turmoil in the state puts the Congress government in a precarious position once again. In July, the SC had reinstated the Tuki-led Congress government in the state after a spell of President’s Rule.

The order ended the brief tenure of the government led by rebel Congress leader Kalikho Pul, which had come to power in February. It had enjoyed the support of 18 rebel Congress MLAs and two Independents. 11 BJP MLAs supported the Pul government from outside.

After the lifting of Central Rule, Tuki returned to the CM’s post. However, Congress MLA Pema Khandu soon replaced the unpopular Tuki as CM.

The Khandu government passed the floor test in the Assembly. A total of 46 MLAs voted in favour of the Chief Minister, while 11 BJP members voted against it.

The Congress has 44 members in the 60-member Arunachal Assembly at present.

PPA, a regional political party, was founded in 1979. Late Chief Minister Pul, along with 25 other Congress legislators from the Tuki government, had joined PPA in February.