Congress has lost Arunachal Pradesh after Chief Minister Pema Khandu, lawmakers leave party
Highlights
- Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister defects with 42 of 44 lawmakers
- Most Congress lawmakers join People's Party of Arunachal, a BJP ally
- Congress government was restored in July by Supreme Court
Arunachal Pradesh has slipped out of the Congress party's hands once again, just two months after the Supreme Court stepped in to restore its government. Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday staged a dramatic exodus of Congress lawmakers and joined a BJP ally, leaving only one member with the ruling party.
After the switchover, the turbulent northeastern state now goes to a BJP ally.
Mr Khandu has taken 42 Congress lawmakers and joined the regional People's Party of Arunachal, which is an ally of the BJP. The one lawmaker who has stayed with the Congress is, ironically, Nabam Tuki, who was replaced as chief minister when the Congress tried to stem rebellion in its ranks and picked Mr Khandu as a compromise.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "The prodigal sons of Congress who have jumped ship have made massive ideological and political blunder and compromise."
In an assembly of 60 members, the Congress had 44 lawmakers and 11 members are from the BJP. Two independent lawmakers who supported the Congress have also joined the People's Party.
"The BJP has nothing to do with this. The Congress shouldn't blame the BJP for its own failure," said Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. He added, "If the chief minister and ministers have to wait for days to meet their own leadership in Delhi, how can they stay in such a party?"
Mr Khandu took charge as the head of the Congress government in July after the Supreme Court turned back the clock and cancelled every decision that had precipitated its fall in January.
The Congress's previous government led by Nabam Tuki had collapsed after the party's rebels, along with the opposition BJP, voted it out in a special session held at a makeshift venue.
After a period of central rule, Congress rebels led by Kalikho Pul took power with support from the BJP. That government lasted only five months as the Supreme Court reinstated the previous government.
Mr Pul was found hanging in his home in August.