Arunachal Pradesh: How the Congress staged a coup and won back the rebels

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, July 16, 2016: The Congress on Saturday pulled off a coup in Arunachal Pradesh bringing the rebels back into its fold, six months after they deserted the party under the leadership of Kalikho Pul – the Nabam Tuki government fell as a consequence. However, if sources are to be believed, it did not happen overnight: the party had been working on the rebels for the last one and a half months.

 

Sources said that about one and a half months ago, Congress leaders in the state sensed that all was not well in the Kalikho Pul camp. Both Pema Khandu and Chowna Mein – the latter deputy chief minister in the Pul cabinet – were unhappy with what they called “authoritarian style” of Pul and his decisions – ironical since that was one of the charges they had hurled against Tuki.

Congress leaders, especially Arunachal East MP Ninong Ering, quietly reached out to them. The Supreme Court order was nowhere in sight then. The message was conveyed to Congress President Sonia Gandhi who chose to maintain an arm’s length from the negotiations, letting the leaders and AICC general secretary-in charge of the state handle the delicate situation.

Informal talks went on for a month. Word spread but both Khandu and Mein issued public statements that all was well. The Congress interlocutors told them that one among them – and the choice would be theirs – would be the chief minister of a Congress government. The talks gained urgency after the Supreme Court verdict.

Senior leader Kapil Sibal, who was Tuki’s lawyer in the Supreme Court, convinced him that in the interest of the party, he would have to make way for someone else. Tuki knew the writing on the wall. Sources said Tuki was told about the plan a day after the verdict. He agreed.

Ering and others remained in touch with Mein. Unexpectedly for the Congress, the rebels among themselves decided to project Khandu as their leader. “It came from them. And they are not rebels. They are all Congressmen,” a senior leader said.

On Friday morning, the matter was taken to Gandhi who gave a go ahead. The signal was relayed to the rebel leaders who left Guwahati and reached Itanagar in the evening. Through the night, Congress leaders were anxious and kept their fingers crossed knowing well that the BJP camp was planning a counter attack. However, things went according to script and all the MLAs reached the CLP meeting and elected Khandu as the new leader.

Courtesy: Indianexpress