ITANAGAR, Dec 21? The tiny state of Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a political upheaval in 2003 that saw ruling Congress suffering a split leading to the fall of Mukut Mithi government and giving BJP the first taste of power in a north- eastern state under the leaderdship of veteran Gegong Apang, who came out of political wilderness.
Though discontent among Congress MLAs surfaced in the middle of the year, it thickened to change the political scenerio when a sizeable number of ministers and MLAs set up a camp at local hotel Bomdila on September 27. Of the total 58 Congress MLAs, including two associated members in the 60-member assembly, 38 formed a new party, called Congrees (D) under the leadership of Kameng Dolo revolting against Mithi?s leadership.
Former Chief Minister Gegong Apang, who was the lone opposition member representing Arunachal Congress, two associated and one unattached member later joined them to form the 42-member United Democratic Front. Apang was later elected as its leader to form the government.
Subsequently, 36 members of the Congress-D and Apang joined BJP to make Arunachal Pradesh the first north-eastern state to be saffronised. Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Nagaland and Myanmar became hot-spot of militancy particulary NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) and some of the leadership of the area were allegedly involved under compulsion with the insurgent groups directly or indirectly which had influenced the political scenerio in the middle of the year.
To contain such activities, the Mukut Mithi government had taken some tough measures like legislation of Arunachal Pradesh Control of Organised Crime Act (APCOCA) besides launching ?Operation Hurricane?. But these measures did not go down well with the leaders of the area who came under pressure of the insurgent groups to have these measures revoked, compelling them to change their political loyalties.
Soon after the Apang government came to power, the APCOCA was repealed and ?Operation Hurricane? called off in the first sitting of the assembly after change of guard. Though the leaders of the area got some respite, the insurgent activities continued. After a gap of seven years, the Mukut Mithi government held panchayat election in the state in April. Though BJP showed improvement in the percentage of votes, Congress captured most panchyat bodies.
Soon after the visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to China, Arunachal Pradesh came to limelight with the claiming of the territory of entire state as its part by Chinese authorities following some skirmishes between the security personnel posted at the border in Upper Subansiri district. On the economic front, hydro-power generation in the state received a shot in the arms with the launching of national Hydro-Power Corporation initiative for developing 50,000 mw hydel power by the Prime Minister in Delhi in May. Of the 162 schemes discussed, 42 major one were located in Arunachal Pradesh to generate 25,000 mw by 2012.
The state government organised two major festivals to develop tourism in the state in February and a Budha Darshan festival at Tawang in October. The Centre has also approved a proposal of the state government to develop Bhalukpong-Bomdila-Tawang-Zemithang as a tourist circuit of international standards and recently allocated Rs 10 crore for the purpose.
The Chakma Hajong issue once again came to the fore during the year following the directives of the Supreme Court to grant citizenship to about 50,000 refugees and the Election Commission asking the state government to enroll these refugees in the electoral list. Political parties, students? organisations and various NGOs vehemently opposed the directives and formed a core committee with the Chief Minister as the Chairman demanding deportation of the refugees from Arunachal.