AICC dithering on action against Nabam Tuki forced us to explore ‘alternate Congress government’: Kalikho Pul

NEW DELHI: Congress rebel in Arunchal Pradesh Kalikho Pul, who has staked claim to form a government with outside support of BJP, has said, “the AICC dithering” on action against former Congress CM Nabam Tuki “has forced” the party rebels to explore forming an “alternative Congress government in the state” with the “outside backing” of BJP MLAs for the sake of the stability in the state. Even as Pul and his supporters are facing one last, but crucial, legal test in Supreme Court on Thursday on a rival petition challenging the Guwahati HC stay on the Speaker disqualifying the rebel MLAs, Pul says, it was the refusal of Tuki to give way for leadership change in the state Congress and the AICC’s inability to rein in the former CM that has resulted in the revolt in state Congress.

“ The AICC dithering on acting decisively and quickly on the corruption charges against (former party CM) Nabam Tuki, has forced us to form an “alternative Congress government” in the state with outside support of BJP for the sake of a stable Arunachal Pradesh, which is a sensitive border state. Tuki’s refusal to make way for leadership change in state Congress and AICC’s inability to rein him has left us with no other option but to form another Congress government,” Pul told ET from Itanagar.

“For over six months, we (the Congress rebels) have been camping in Delhi to take up our grievances with the Congress High Command. Only a few days ago, we, got a chance to meet Rahul Gandhi and we placed before him clear evidences of corruption against Tuki. We were hopeful of the High Command acting and then we have realised the AICC is dithering in acting against Tuki,” Pul added.

On taking over as CM, he said he has already staked his claim to form the government before the Governor, adding, “We are just waiting for the President to lift the proclamation on President’s rule.”