TIA NEWS / ITANAGAR
In a surprising political development in Arunachal Pradesh,Chief Minister Pema Khandu and 42 Congress MLAs on Friday quit the Congress and defected to the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA), an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
CM Khandu told media that he had informed Speaker Wangki Lowang that “we are merging the Congress with the PPA”.
PPA chairperson Kameng Ringu said the Congress MLAs joining his party was waiting to happen. “It is a homecoming after a temporary exile,”
The Congress has 44 legislators in the house of 60. The only Congress MLA who has not defected is former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
Only 1 out of 45 Congress lawmakers remains in the party. That is Nabam 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.
Just around two months ago, a SC judgment paved the way for the return of the Nabam Tuki+ -led Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. The SC judgement effectively removed the government led by rebel Congress leader Kalikho Pul which was sworn in in February with the support of 18 dissident Congress MLAs and two independents, and 11 BJP MLAs who gave outside support. The SC’s judgement was considered historic.
BJP has no role in defection
Reacting to the development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today said that it had no role in the fresh political developments in Arunachal Pradesh wherein Chief Minister Pema Khandu and 42 Congress MLAs in a dramatic development quit the Congress and defected to the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA), an ally of the BJP.
“If elected MLAs don’t want to stay with Congress, what can the others do. The Supreme Court reinstated the Congress government but ultimately the MLAs’ decision is final. Congress had tried to blame BJP unnecessarily,” said Kiren Rijiju, union minister and MP from Arunachal West parliamentary constituency.