Union Minister Rijiju blames Cong internal dissent for Arunachal development

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday blamed internal dissent in Congress for the political turmoil in Arunachal Pradesh, where Chief Minister Pema Khandu and 42 MLAs have joined a regional outfit PPA. 

Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said his party BJP has no role in the latest political development in the state and the Congress MLAs were "angry with their own leadership" leading to their joining of People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh. It is the second time this year that the Congress has been hit hard by rebellion.

"Congress MLAs including the Chief Minister in Arunachal are angry with their own central leadership. They have to wait in Delhi for 4-5 days to meet their own leaders. This has eventually led to MLAs joining a regional party. There is no more Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh," the minister told reporters here. The Minister of State for Home said "if the MLAs don't want to stay with Congress, what can the others do". 

"The Supreme Court also reinstated the Congress government but ultimately the MLAs' decision is final. Congress tried to blame BJP unnecessarily," he said. 

In a shocker for Congress, all but one of its MLAs, including the Chief Minister, on Friday joined the PPA and the party faces the prospect of losing its government. Sources said Khandu, who two months ago became chief minister in a development that restored the Congress government, along with 42 Congress MLAs joined the PPA and virtually converted it into a PPA government.