In a sudden development Congress party today lost its government in Arunachal Pradesh when its MLAs en mass defected to People’s Party of Arunachal. Pema Khandu had become Congress Chief Minister of the state after Supreme Court removed Kalikha Pul government installed with the support of BJP.
Former Arunachal CM Nabam Tuki.
As per reports in local media, Khandu, who had replaced Nabam Tuki in July, presented 42 MLAs before Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, who accepted their joining the PPA, Assembly sources said.
The sudden development leaves Congress with only three state government in the entire north east region. These are Mizoram, Meghalaya and Manipur.
As per initial reports, Tuki is the only Congress MLA who has not defected to PPA, a constituent of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) which was formed on May 24 in Guwahati with the backing of BJP.
In a House of 60, the Congress had 44 MLAs with one seat falling vacant after former chief minister Kalikho Pul committed suicide on August 9, while the BJP has 11 members including two Independents.
