In another controversial day of proceedings marked by high drama, Opposition BJP and rebel Congress MLAs got together to show “no confidence” in the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh and to “choose” a rebel Congress MLA as the new “Chief Minister”.
A day after they >“impeached” Speaker Nabam Rebia in a makeshift “Assembly” premises in a community hall, the opposition and rebels Congress MLAs met at a conference hall of a hotel near Itanagar on Thursday as the Assembly premises have been sealed since Wednesday.
On Thursday, a “no confidence” motion by 11 BJP MLAs and two Independent members was “adopted” with Deputy Speaker T. Norbu Thongdok, who is also a rebel Congressman, in the Chair.
A total 33 members of the 60-member house, including 20 dissident Congress MLAs, later “elected” another dissident Congressman Kalikho Pul as the new “Chief Minister” of the State.
The Chief Minister, Mr. Tuki, and the 26 MLAs supporting him, boycotted the proceedings terming them as “illegal and unconstitutional”.
Thursday’s “proceedings” were held a new venue as the makeshift premises where Speaker Nabam Rebia was “impeached” on Wednesday night was vandalised by miscreants and the MLAs opposing Mr. Tuki were not allowed to enter the Assembly premises by security forces.
As per directive of the Speaker, the district administration has sealed the Assembly premises since Wednesday.
The MLAs then with “due consent” from Governor J.P. Rajkhowa shifted the venue to the conference hall of a hotel in Naharlagun, near Itanagar.
The “session”, which was chaired by Deputy Speaker Mr. Thongdok passed the motion by voice vote and signature consent by 33 members in the absence of 26 Congress MLAs including Mr. Tuki and his council of Ministers.
Mr. 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.
The Deputy Speaker said the “composite floor test” was introduced by the Supreme Court of India in the case of Kalyan Singh Vs Jagadambila Pal in the UP Assembly, for the first time in the country where members could participate in a no-confidence motion against the government.
“Since the current situation of the State is similar to that of Uttar Pradesh, the motion was brought in accordance to the apex court judgement on a special leave petition No 4498/1998,” Mr. Thongdok said.
He added that only maximum six members are required to table such a motion as per laid down norms but in the current session 13 members moved it.
Tabling the “motion”, Leader of the Opposition Tamiyo Taga (of the BJP) alleged that since April this year the members of the Assembly have been experiencing lack of confidence in the council of Ministers led by Mr. Tuki.
The Deputy Speaker called for Chief Minister and Ministers to participate in the discussion on the motion but they were absent. After the motion was adopted, Mr. Thongdok adjourned the House sine die.
Tuki writes to President, Prime Minister
Meanwhile, Mr. Tuki on Thursday shot off two separate letters to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their intervention in the political crisis that has gripped the state.
In the letters, Mr. Tuki apprised them of the “unilateral decision’ taken by the governor by summoning the Assembly session without consulting the democratically-elected government.
