Arunachal crisis deepens, Gauhati High Court stays all decisions; Governor to go in appeal

There was some respite for the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday, with the Gauhati High Court putting on hold all decisions - including the removal of the Speaker Nabam Rebia.

The HC decision came on a case filed by Speaker Nebam Rebia on Thursday evening, with the matter to be heard again on 1 February.

The court has also put on hold Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa's move to advance the winter session of the Assembly by a month.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the Governor's office on Thursday night said he would appeal against the High Court order as he had not been heard in the matter.

The High Court stay also covered Tuki's "ouster" on Thursday by Congress dissidents and BJP legislators, the "election" of former finance minister-turned-rebel Kalikho Pul as "Leader of the House" and the "removal" a day earlier of Speaker Nebam Rebia.

Important facts about Arunachal Pradesh Assembly

• 60-member Assembly. Congress government led by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.

• Only 26 Congress legislators support Nebam Tuki after the present crisis

• 34 legislators against him at present. 21 are Congress rebels, 11 from BJP and two independents.

17 December- Nabam Tuki ousted, Gauhati High Court steps in

Opposition BJP and rebel Congress lawmakers got together to show "no confidence" in the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. They choose a rebel Congress lawmaker as the new "chief minister".

A "no confidence" motion by 11 BJP lawmakers and two Independent members was "adopted" with Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok, who is also a rebel Congressman, in the Chair.

A total of 33 members of the 60-member house, including 20 dissident Congress lawmakers, later "elected" another dissident Congressman Kalikho Pul as the new "chief minister" of the state.

The Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and his 26 supporting lawmakers boycotted the proceedings, terming them as "illegal and unconstitutional".

The matter was raised by the Congress in the Parliament.

16 December-Speaker Nabam Rebia impeached

The motion was passed by a voice vote following a special session of the assembly conducted by Deputy Speaker TN Thongdok at a makeshift location in Itanagar. As per a directive of the Speaker, the district administration had sealed the Assembly premises.

The lawmakers then with "due consent" from Governor JP Rajkhowa shifted the venue to the conference hall.

The motion was supported by 33 MLAs, including 20 dissident Congress MLAs, 11 from BJP and two independents.

Thongdok announced Mr Pul as the "new Leader of the House" and said that the "proceedings" would be sent to the Governor who would ask the new chief minister and his council of ministers to take the oath of office shortly.

Allegations against Nabam Tuki

The leader of the Opposition Tamiyo Taga (of BJP) alleged that the members of the Assembly have been experiencing a lack of confidence in the council of ministers led by Tuki, since April this year.

"Because of his (Tuki's) misgovernance and mismanagement, nepotism, and corruption, members are gradually withdrawing their support from him," Taga alleged.

(With inputs from PTI)