The political musical chair continues in Arunachal Pradesh as the state might be witnessing yet another spell of political upheaval. The main constituent of the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) government – the Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA) has out seven party MLAs including Chief Minister Pema Khandu and his deputy Chowna Mein, under ‘temporary suspension’ from Thursday night for breaking party ‘discipline’.
In the order issued by PPA president Kafia Bengia on Thursday, PPA has also categorically announced that Pema Khandu is no longer the Leader of the legislature party and cannot exercise any of the powers bestowed on him as the leader of the legislature party.
PPA has also warned its MLAs not to attend any meetings called by Khandu, failing which disciplinary actions would be taken.
The PPA has sent its intimation letter addressed to Assembly Speaker. The PPA also requested him to declare the suspended MLAs as unattached members of the house and arrange separate sitting arrangements pending brawl of disciplinary proceedings against them or till revocation of the suspension order by the PPA authorities.
The PPA has also requested the Speaker to the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh about the political development.
The 38-year-old Khandu who is also country’s youngest and richest Chief Minister is not available in his official residence in Itanagar.
Along with Khandu and his deputy Mein, five other MLAs – Jambey Tashi, PD Sona, Chow Tewa Mein, Zingnu Namchom and Kamlung Mossang – have been suspended.
He was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on July 17, under dramatic circumstances after Supreme Court suspended the PPA government led by Kalikho Pul and 30 dissident Congress MLAs including Pul returned to Congress.
Pul had allegedly committed suicide under mysterious circumstances on August 9.
On September 16, 43 Congress MLAs including Khandu merged with the PPA and also joined the NEDA – a platform of anti-congress political parties in Northeast spearheaded by BJP.
Congress right now has only one MLA in the 60 member state legislative assembly in the form of former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki who has challenged the merger of the Congress MLAs in PPA in the Itanagar bench of Gauhati High Court. The final hearing is slated for the first week of January.
On October 26, BJP joined the Khandu government. Watchers believe that while the PPA MLAs were ready to stay in the NDA fold, there were growing differences among several leaders of the party over whether they should all switch over to BJP or stay in PPA. They were, however, clear that they would not return to the Congress, sources further added.
All of them are not from any of the central Arunachalees tribe and are rather from smaller clans from frontier areas.
There are 60 seats in Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly of which 42 are with PPA, 12 with the BJP, three with Congress and two others are independents.
The state has seen three chief ministers in this year.
