Itanagar: What could easily be termed as a severe blow to the Congress, 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). There are two independents in the Assembly of 60.
Advertisement
This is the second time in seven months that the Peoples Party of Arunachal has been propped to power in the frontier state. 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. In a mass exodus, all but one of the 45 Congress MLAs have joined the People’s Party of Arunachal.
“The next government would be headed by Pema Khandu and is likely to be installed within the next few days”, said Mein. Close to noon, the merger was completed with only former chief minister Nabam Tuki opting to be out.
Sources said Mr. Khandu, who two months ago became Chief Minister in a development that restored the Congress government, along with 43 Congress MLAs, joined the PPA and virtually converted it into a PPA government. Pul was found hanging from the ceiling fan of his bedroom in August. BJP will lend outside support to PPA led government in Arunachal Pradesh.
Advertisement
Hours ahead of a scheduled floor test in the Assembly, which Tuki was directed by the governor to take, the Congress Legislature Party met and elected Pema, son of late chief minister Dorjee Khandu, as its new leader. Pul committed suicide soon after.
