ITANAGAR, July 12 - In a boost to the Congress in Arunachal Pradesh, 13 former MLAs, including eleven ministers of the Gegong Apang-led United Democratic Front and former Speaker Setong Sena formally joined the party today, deputy CLP leader Tako Dabi said, reports PTI. All the the eleven ministers held office before the downsizing on July 7. Ten of them were from the BJP, while another was an Independent. One BJP member of the dissolved House, who had given a letter to join Congress earlier was also inducted into the party today, he said.
Sena is a member of the Congress(D), while the independent former MLA Mekup Dolo was a minister before the downsizing and is the wife of the erstwhile Deputy Chief Minister Kameng Dolo. Among the 13 former MLAs, nine are from the border districts of Tirap and Changlang, which together had a total 12 representatives in the house.
Seven BJP, one Congress-D and an expelled BJP member had switched over to Mukut Mithi-led Congress front on July eight. The members rebelled after the UDF ministry was downsized from 33 to 12 following the 91st Constitutional amendment. Dabi said the joining of these MLAs to the Congress would be officially announced by the APCC chief Mukut Mithi when he arrives here from New Delhi in a day or two.
He said that a Congress delegation led by Mithi would submit a memorandum signed by 36 former MLAs to the President A P J Abdul Kalam tomorrow demanding the Central rule in the state. Our Staff Correspondent adds: Notwithstanding UPA Government?s silence on the crisis in Arunachal Pradesh, both caretaker Chief Minister, Gegong Apang and State Congress chief, Mukut Mithi have mounted pressure on the Centre to act fast.
In a day of past paced political development, arch rivals Congress Party and BJP today lobbied hard with top Central leaders pressing for early resolution of the political crisis. Both the delegations have supplied videotape of the Raj Bhavan incident to the Central leaders. Caretaker, Chief Minister Gegong Apang met Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee and CPI-M general secretary, Harkishen Singh Surjeet.
State Congress president leading a delegation of 20 Party MLAs met the President demanding removal of the Governor. They are likely to meet the Prime Minister here tomorrow. Sri Apang since early this morning started making the rounds beginning his day with a meeting with BJP national president, M Venkahiah Naidu. Later he called on Union Home Minister followed by a meeting with the CPI-M general secretary and another with the Defence Minister.