Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], Dec.30 (ANI): The political instability in the sensitive border state of Arunachal Pradesh since December 2015 continues, justifying the unanimous truth of kissa kursi ka.
The ruling Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA) late on Thursday night temporarily suspended chief minister Pema Khandu, deputy CM Chowna Mein and five other legislators from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect for alleged anti-party activities.
The Other five MLAs shown against their assembly constituency are Jambey Tashi (Lumla), Passang Dorjee Sona (Mechuka), Chow Tewa Mein (Chowkham), Zingnu Namchom (Namsai) and Kamlung Mossang (Miao).
However, the spokesman of the state government, Bamang Felix, told press persons at the Press Club that Khandu-led government had the support of 49 legislators in the 60 member house.
The supporters included 35 PPA, 12 BJP and 2 independents. On the possibility of joining BJP, Felix said that "We are still member of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA)."
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While PPA president Kahfa Bengia, in his suspension order, said prima facie he was satisfied with the proof of their indulgence in gross "anti-party" activities and "Khandu now ceased to be the leader of the PPA Legislature Party", Felix claimed that the PPA president had issued a circular for a party meeting on December 20 last which was not received by any MLA.
"Just not attending the party cannot be termed as anti-party activity or if the decision to suspend seven MLAs was unanimous PPA or individual decision is not known ," Felix said.
Asked about difference in the party, floating the name of sitting minister Takam Parior as next PPA leader and dropping of few ministers including Pario from the ministry, Felix clarified that "the difference could be personal not at party level and doors are open to wipe out the differences. The dropping of ministers would be made public soon".
Bengia had directed party MLAs and PPA functionaries not to attend any meeting called by Khandu, and said any member failing to comply with the order will have to face disciplinary action. He, in a letter to assembly Speaker T Norbu Thongdok, requested him to declare the suspended MLAs as unattached members of the House and arrange separate sitting for them and communicate the development to the governor.
In the 60-member house, PPA had 43 MLAs, BJP 12, Congress-3 and independent 2. The strength of BJP had increased from 11 to 12 with the election of former CM late Kalikho Pul's wife Dasanglu Pul on November 22 to Hayuliang assembly seat by-election as BJP candidate with 944 votes.
With Indian politicians adding "everything is fair in politics' to common adage "Everything is fair in love and war" to redefine government - by the people, of the people and for the people - the political upheaval in the state has been getting murkier by brining state's development process to a grinding halt.
Pul was forced to resign in July 16 following the apex court verdict and had joined the PPA with 29 dissident Congress MLAs on March 3, 2016. After serving as CM from 19.02.16 to 13.07.16 he had committed suicide in CM's bungalow here on August 9.
The then Governor J P Rajkhowa had preponed assembly session from to January 14-18, 2016 from December 16-18, 2015 without consulting then chief minister Nabam Tuki and his council of ministers, that had set the political instability ball rolling.
However, the Supreme Court in its historic July 13 verdict had reversed the clock to December 15, 2015 by terming all decisions taken by the Governor as "illegal and unconstitutional" and ordered restoration of previous government.
The Congress Legislature Party leader Nabam Tuki, while chairing CLP meeting on July 16 last, had resigned and proposed the name of Pema Khandu as new leader. In a volte-face, ousted CM Kalikho Pul, had returned to the Congress fold with 29 dissident MLAs.
Khandu, 37, the son of late Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, was sworn in as the eighth Chief Minister by Governor Tathagata Roy at Raj Bhavan here on July 17 last marking the culmination of fast-paced political developments in the state while Chowna Mein was sworn in as the DyCM.
Khandu sprung a surprise on?September 16 by leaving the Congress and joining the PPA along with 42 MLAs. In a House of 60 members, with an effective strength of 58, the PPA had 43, BJP 11 and Congress one, independent two and one seat vacant.
But the PPA joined the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), formed on May 24 last as part of the NDA with Himanta Biswa Sarma as its convenor, on September 18.
Sarma, after chairing a joint legislature party meeting with 43 PPA, MLAs, 11 BJP MLAs and two Independents at Itanagar on September 18, had told reporters that "It will be decided at the BJP National Executive meeting at Calicut this week on whether BJP will continue to extend its outside support or be a part of the PPA government led by Khandu."
While blaming the Congress high command for the mess in the party, state BJP president Tapir Gao on had said party president Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi should have taken care of this. on the possibility of PPA MLAs merging with the BJP, Gao said the party's door was open.
The Congress, however, had accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP of "foul play" and committing a "fraud on democracy" after Khandu along with 41 Congress MLAs quit the party and joined PPA.
"Modi's and BJP's foul play and fraud on democracy has come to a full circle in Arunachal Pradesh today," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had told reporters in New Delhi. "PPA is the illegitimate child of the BJP's diabolical design to decimate democracy," he alleged.
With severe criticism of Rajkhowa and Congress squarely blaming him Union MoS Kiren Rijiju for toppling Congress government, the Centre was left with no other alternative but to pressurize Rajkhowa to quit but he refused prompting President of India Pranab Mukharjee to remove on September 12 last.
With the induction of BJP Legislator Party Leader Tamyio Taga on October 14 last into Khandu ministry, Arunachal Pradesh had become the 14th state with the BJP is in power and the sixth state where it shared power with regional parties.