Pul now heads a government that has the support from 11 BJP MLAs from outside and two independents, who are likely to be part of the government, even as the speculations are rife about possibility of dissolution of the assembly by the newly elected government to make way for fresh elections in the frontier state.
Pul escorted by his loyalists said, “It was not for the first time that a Governor had allowed Assembly session outside the assembly premises. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was allowed to conduct assembly session in Ramleela Ground. There have been more such instances in Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.”
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.
The fast-pace developments since the Supreme Court vacated its order on maintaining status quo in the state paving the way for installation of new government on Thursday saw Tuki make one last effort to stop the rebel members from forming the government with Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) support, when he moved the Apex Court seeking an interim direction that his party be allowed to go for a floor test in the assembly on Friday. Tuki’s prayer was rejected by the court.
Earlier in the day, Tuki had said there is an “apprehension” that if a new government takes charge in the state, it may dissolve the Assembly soon.
Tuki, through his counsel informed the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court that he is ready and willing to face composite floor test in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly in case President’s Rule is revoked, Tuki’s spokesperson and Congress Legislature Party leader Geetartha Darshan Barua said.
“There is an apprehension that the Governor, upon revocation of President’s Rule, may swear in a new government which would then recommend dissolution of the sixth Arunachal Pradesh Assembly,” Barua said.
Back in Itanagar, state Congress president Padi Richo submitted a memorandum to governor JP Rajkhowa and requested him to “refrain” from inviting the rebel Congressmen to form the government.
The party in the memorandum said, “Nabam Tuki is the democratically-elected CLP leader since May 18, 2014 and no change has taken place in the CLP so far.”
The party added that Kalikho Pul is not the CLP leader and so staking claim to form Congress government by him would be “invalid.”
On Wednesday Pul led a 32-member joint delegation of Congress rebel MLAs, BJP and two Independent MLAs met the governor and staked claim to form a new government following which the union cabinet recommended the withdrawal of President’s Rule in the state. But, the apex court on the same day ordered maintenance of status quo in the state.