Nabam Tuki
Nabam TukiIANS

Update, 3:54 pm, 25 January: The Congress on Monday filed a petition challenging the Union Cabinet's recommendations to impose President's rule in Arunachal Pradesh amid political turmoil.

"Matter is sub-judice, GoI should have waited for Court's order... We will fight in the Court and let the people decide, (sic)" Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki told ANI.

Original Story, 24 Jnauary:

The Union Cabinet, at an emergency meeting on Sunday morning, reportedly proposed imposition of President's rule in Congress-ruled Arunachal Pradesh.

The Cabinet ministers met at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official residence, where they decided to impose Article 356 of the Indian Constitution in the state, PTI quoted its sources as saying.

The Cabinet is likely to recommend the proposal to President Pranab Mukherjee for approval, The Indian Express reported.

The Congress criticised the move by the BJP government. Former Parliamentarian RPN Singh was quoted by ANI as saying: "If such a thing has happened, this is a black day for a democracy."

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter to express his "shock" at the development. "Union Cab recommending Prez rule in Arunachal shocking. Murder of Consti on Rep D eve. BJP lost elections.Now acquiring power thro back door (sic)," he tweeted.

The political crisis in Arunachal Pradesh

The decision was taken in the wake of a political crisis in the North-eastern state. On 17 December last year, 33 members of its 60-member Assembly, including 20 dissident Congress MLAs, 11 BJP legislators and two independents, moved a no-confidence motion against the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government and it was adopted at a session chaired by Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok, according to PTI.

The MLAs moved the motion claiming the Assembly lacked confidence in the council of ministers under Tuki, Leader of the Opposition Tamiyo Taga of the BJP had said.

"Because of his (Tuki's) misgovernance and mismanagement, nepotism and corruption, members are gradually withdrawing their support from him. It is a Congress government with absolute majority of 47 members but looking at the situation we are compelled to bring this motion," he added.

"Central funds under the National Disaster Relief Fund and State Disaster Relief Fund have been grossly misused by Tuki. There has been no annual operating plan since Tuki took reins of the state and all development funds have been siphoned off," Taga had said.

Tuki and the 26 MLAs standing supporting him had boycotted the "proceedings" and termed them "illegal and unconstitutional".

A day after adopting the motion, Thongdok announced dissident Congressman Kalikho Pul the "new Leader of the House". However, the Gauhati High Court intervened and suspended the decision taken by the dissidents Congress MLAs, PTI reported.

The Supreme Court referred a bunch of petitions on the ongoing political crisis in the state to a Constitution Bench.

"How can they do it when the governor's authority to summon the House is before the Supreme Court? The Supreme Court is seized of the matter. A five-member Constitution bench is hearing the legal validity of the governor's decision of summoning the Assembly. If the government does something like this when the matter is before the Supreme Court, that will be suicidal," the IE quoted a senior Congress leader as saying.