IANS
GUWAHATI, FEBRUARY 19
Dissident Congress lawmaker Kalikho Pul was on Friday sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, which has been under Presidents’ Rule since January 25 following political instability.
Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa swore him the oath of office and secrecy at a brief function organised at the Raj Bhavan in the hilly state around 9.30 p.m.
The development came after President Pranab Mukherjee earlier in the day approved the recommendation of the union cabinet for revocation of the President’s Rule.
BJP leader Tapir Gaon said that only Pul, who was elected as leader of the house by 31 legislators, took oath of office and secrecy.
The new chief minister will induct his ministers at a later date.
The BJP said it will lend support to the new government from outside only and will not be its part.
The Supreme Court on Thursday paved the way for the formation of the new government by disposing of Congress leader Nabam Tuki’s plea for an interim direction that his party be allowed to go for a floor test in the house and vacated its earlier order for maintenance of status quo.
On Monday, Pul and another 31 MLAs, including 18 Congress legislators, 11 of BJP and two Independents, met the Governor and submitted a memorandum to stake claim to form the government.
The legislators reaffirmed their support to Pul to head the Council of Ministers and that he may be sworn in at the end of the President’s Rule Arunachal Pradesh.
Political situation in the north-eastern state turned volatile after the governor advanced an assembly session from January 2016 to December 2015.
While the then chief minister Nabam Tuki and his supporters boycotted the session, the dissident Congress and BJP legislators, and two Independents, took part in the session held first at a community hall and then at a hotel.
The legislators impeached Speaker Nabam Rebia by a voice vote and moved a no- confidence motion against the Chief Minister, forcing both to move the Gauhati High Court and subsequently the Supreme Court.
A former finance and health minister of the state, 47-year-old Pul represents the Hayuliang assembly constituency was elected as the leader of the house and the chief minister by the rebel Congress MLAs, BJP MLAs and two independents in the assembly session, which had been held at an auditorium as a make-shift venue on December 17. The session was boycotted by supporters of former chief minister Nabam Tuki of the Congress, after whose ouster President’s Rule had been imposed.
President’s rule lifted in Arunachal
With the Supreme Court paving the way for government formation, President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh was today lifted that could usher in a new dispensation headed by dissident Congress leader Kalikho Pul.
President Pranab Mukherjee has given his approval to the Union Cabinet’s recommendation for revocation of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh, a Home Ministry official said.
The President’s nod came after the last ditch effort of Congress leader and deposed Chief Minister Nabam Tuki seeking an interim direction that his party be allowed to go for a floor test in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly to prove majority was rejected by the Supreme Court today.
The Union Cabinet had recommended the withdrawal of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday after Pul, accompanied by 31 MLAs, including Congress rebels, BJP and Independents met Governor J P Rajkhowa and staked claim to form a new government.
A revolt by Congress dissidents led by Pul led to a political crisis in the state that finally led to imposition of President’s rule on January 26.
Tuki reportedly has the support of 26 MLAs in the 60-member Assembly.
Congress, which had 47 MLAs in the 60-member assembly, suffered a jolt when 21 of its lawmakers revolted against Tuki’s leadership.
Eleven BJP MLAs and two Independents backed the rebels in the bid to upstage the government.
Later, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified by the Speaker.
The Supreme Court was considering pleas against imposition of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh and also hearing petitions seeking examination of constitutional schemes on the scope of discretionary powers of the Governor.
After Centre’s recommendation for withdrawal of President’s rule, Congress moved to the Supreme Court and got an order for maintenance of status quo in the crisis-ridden state till it examined judicial and assembly records on disqualification of 14 rebel Congress MLAs by former Speaker Nabam Rebia.
However, yesterday, the apex court virtually paved the way for government formation in Arunachal Pradesh by vacating its order on maintenance of status quo, after being satisfied with the Gauhati High Court order staying the disqualification of the 14 rebel Congress MLAs.
Congress again moved the Supreme Court today but the Supreme Court rejected its plea for an interim direction that it be allowed to go in for a floor test in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly to prove majority.
