Merger of 30 Cong MLAs with PPA unconstitutional: Tuki

Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Nabam Tuki today termed the switch over of 30 Congress MLAs led by Chief Minister Kalikho Pul to the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA) as "illegal" and "unconstitutional".
"How can they do this when a five-bench constitutional bench of the Supreme Court is hearing the case and the judgement is being reserved?
"They don't have the required quorum for defection as the Speaker had disqualified 14 members and the case has been referred by the Apex court to the Gauhati High Court directing it to dispose it within two weeks time, which will end on March 6 next," Tuki told PTI.

"Moreover, the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee yesterday expelled two members - Likha Saaya and Gojen Gadi... where is the quorum? All these activities are against the 10th schedule of the Constitution," Tuki alleged.
Unless the Supreme Court and the High Court decide the merit of the case, such a move is not possible, he said adding, "This is a subject for judicial review. Whatever verdict the court pronounces, we will abide by it."
He said the defected MLAs should respect the party and should respect the people of the state who voted them to power.

Tuki said the party leadership had invited them for talk to resolve the issue, but they turned down and were now saying all doors were closed.

"They have failed to abide by the Constitution and the judiciary," Tuki alleged and appealed the people to stand together to fight such forces who were against the development of the state.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Bamang Felix, a close aide of Tuki, criticised the merger of the party's MLAs with PPA and termed it unconstitutional and illegal.
"We are expecting complete justice from the Supreme Court," he added.