‘ Cong reduced to minority in House’

Guwahati: Arunachal Pradesh ex- CM Kalikho Pul accused his successor Nabam Tuki of misinterpreting the order of the apex court. Asserting that 43 MLAs are with him, Mr Pul claimed the Congress has been reduced to a party of 15 MLAs in a House of 58 and added this would be proved in the floor test.

as the CM of the state and asked him to call the state legislative Assembly session and prove his majority in the House no later than Saturday.

Governor J. P. Rajkhowa proceeded on a long leave on Sunday citing ill health. Tripura governor, Tathagata Roy, is Arunachal’s acting governor.

The AICC is said to have started extending an olive branch to dissident Congress MLAs who had defected with chief minister Kalikho Pul, but are “not averse to the idea of returning” to the party fold.

Informing that central party leaders have indicated that the party was ready to replace Nabam Tuki from leadership, sources in the Congress said the strength of the breakaway faction swelled to 29 a month after the Pul government came to power in February.

Claiming that backchannel negotiation was on with those who left the party and were disqualified, sources said majority had reservation with the state leadership and expressed their inability in returning to a party led by Mr Tuki, who has started contacting legislators and is trying to reach the dissident camp for a truce.