New Delhi/Itanagar, July 8: In an unprecedented step, Arunachal Pradesh governor V.C. Pande complained to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam last night that he recommended President?s rule in the state under duress. ?Not only I, but all my staff, including the secretary and deputy secretary, were put under tremendous mental and physical pressure by all ex-MLAs and their political workers, who stormed into my chamber and remained there, gheraoing me for more than five hours,? the governor wrote to the President.
Pande first dissolved the 60-member Assembly at the recommendation of chief minister Gegong Apang, who faced a revolt from some former ministers who were not retained in the government during the downsizing exercise. He asked Apang to continue as caretaker chief minister.
The governor took the big step of invoking Article 356 (C) after 23 legislators of the Congress, the BJP and the Congress (Dolo) laid siege to Raj Bhavan, demanding the revocation of his previous order.
The BJP today threatened to stall the ongoing budget session of Parliament if Arunachal Pradesh was brought under President?s Rule. In another development, eight former ministers belonging to the BJP returned to the Congress, only a few months after they had brought down the erstwhile Mukut Mithi government by deserting the party.
The eight leaders are Lijum Ronya, Thuptem Tempa, Tamio Taga, C.P. Namchoom, Tangor Tapak, Naresh Glow, Rajesh Tacho and Tinpoong Wangham.
They told the media after changing allegiance that Apang did not take them into confidence while downsizing his government and they no longer felt secure in the BJP.
The central BJP leadership, including L.K. Advani and party president M. Venkaiah Naidu, took stock of the situation in the state during a meeting in New Delhi. ?It has been decided that parliamentary proceedings will be stalled if President?s rule is imposed in the state,? BJP MP Khiren Rijiju, who attended the meeting, said.
The crisis in Arunachal Pradesh came up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha after finance minister P. Chidambaram tabled the budget for 2004-05. Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat said he had received two letters, one from Naidu and another from Arun Jaitley, describing the governor?s action as an act of ?constitutional impropriety?.
Agitated BJP members said no action should be taken on the governor?s recommendation till the Centre makes a statement. Shekhawat assured the House that Union home minister Shivraj Patil would state the government?s stand tomorrow.