Claims and counter-claims flew thick and fast on Friday, a day after the ruling People’s Party of Arunachal temporarily suspended seven MLAs, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
The Khandu camp claimed the support of 49 of the 60 MLAs, including 35 of the PPA, 12 of the BJP and two Independents. “Khandu is the Chief Minister with absolute majority and there is absolutely no question of a change in leadership,” said government spokesman Bamang Felix, also an MLA.
Sections of the PPA opposed to Mr. Khandu’s leadership said they would most likely nominate Takam Pario as leader. The Pario camp, however, has not declared the number of MLAs it has. With talks still on, a clear picture is expected to emerge in the next few days.
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Under suspension
Besides Mr. Khandu, those suspended are the Chief Minister’s cousin Jambey Tashi, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, his brother Chow Tewa Mein, Mines and Minerals Minister Kamlung Mossang, Pasang D. Sona and Zingnu Namchoom.
“The MLAs are placed under suspension temporarily from the primary membership of the PPA with immediate effect,” the suspension order issued by the PPA president on Thursday read.
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PPA president Kahfa Bengia also wrote to Speaker T.N. Thongdok, asking him to declare the suspended MLAs as “unattached members and make separate sitting arrangements in the House pending disciplinary proceedings against them or till revocation of the suspension order” by the party.
But Mr. Thongdok has not taken any action and is unlikely to act in haste as he is considered close to the Khandu camp.
Sources said the PPA leadership had become wary of the growing closeness between the BJP and some sections of the MLAs, including the Chief Minister.
Rumours began to do the rounds that differences had cropped up between some MLAs and the PPA leadership. But Mr Felix denied that there was a move to merge the party with the BJP.
Earlier in the day, senior BJP MLA Tamiyo Taga said the party’s central leadership had agreed to extend support to the Khandu government and claimed that the process to merge the PPA with the BJP was already under way.
The BJP “stands behind Mr Khandu; no other leader is acceptable,” Mr Taga said, adding that the party’s State unit would recommend a merger of Mr. Khandu and his supporters with the saffron party.
He ridiculed the PPA as the “resting place” for MLAs before jumping ship to bigger national parties. Mr Taga said the BJP was not consulted before the PPA decided to suspend Mr Khandu and the others. He dismissed fears of the anti-defection law being applied.
Mr Khandu and 42 other MLAs joined the PPA in September, just months after the Congress government in the State had been reinstated by the Supreme Court. The PPA now is a partner of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance.