The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Day after, Arunachal govt says no crisis, BJP sticks with Khandu
A DAY after Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and five other MLAS were suspended by their party — the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) — the state government’s spokesperson on Friday said it has not caused any “turmoil”, and that the government is stable.
Alliance partner BJP threw its weight behind Khandu, with its legislature party leader Tamiyo Taga saying that PPA chairman Kamen Ringu’s decision was not acceptable to them.
Refusing to specify what the seven had done which prompted this action, Ringu said, “We had no option but to place them under suspension because they have been working against the party’s interest.”
Adding to the political drama, PPA president Kahfa Bengia indicated that the party will prefer a new chief minister, PTI reported from Itanagar. “The formal announcement will be made after the end of the meeting of PPA legislators,” Bengia was quoted as saying.
Bengia alleged that since becoming the chief minister, Khandu is yet to visit the PPA office, or initiate any move for membership drive to strengthen the party. “He (Khandu) was more inclined towards the BJP... he even forced several PPA leaders to join BJP,” he was as quoted.
The PPA had suspended Khandu and the six others late Thursday night.
Speaking with The Indian Express over telephone from Itanagar on Friday evening, state government’s spokesperson Bamang Felix said, “Nothing so serious, as has been projected, has actually happened. There is no turmoil in the government or the ruling party. Khandu and his government is as stable as ever, and as many as 49 legislators are strongly behind him.”
Felix said only “five or six” PPA MLAS were still “undecided” on their support. He claimed that 35 PPA MLAS, 12 BJP and two Independent legislators were “solidly” behind Khandu.
PPA chief Kamen Ringu could not say how many legislators were against Khandu. “Many of themareawayintheirconstituencies.itwilltaketimeforallofthem to reach Itanagar,” he said.
While Khandu has refrained from speaking to the media, he is understood to have called for legal support in case he and his government land up in a legal battle, as had happened to the Congress government of Nabam Tuki in December last year.
Felix, meanwhile, denied reports that Khandu and his close aides were planning to switch over to the BJP. “That is not true. We are anyway part of the (Bjpled) North-east Democratic Alliance (NEDA),” he said. “The dissent will be sorted out soon.”
BJP’S Taga said, “The PPA’S sudden decision is not acceptable to us as they have never discussed anything with us that warranted such action. The BJP cannot be a party to change governments every six months. This will go against the interest of development of the state.”
Taga hinted that Khandu could join the saffron party. Stating that “all PPA legislators are inclined towards the BJP”, Taga hinted that something was under process at the party’s top level.
NEDA convener and senior Assam BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is abroad, was not available for a comment.