BJP regrets non-inclusion of Arunachal in Cabinet reshuffle

ITANAGAR: The Arunachal Pradesh unit of BJP has regretted that the Congress-led UPA Government did not induct a single representative from the border state in the newly reshuffled cabinet.

In a statement on Friday, BJP said that denial of a berth in the recent reshuffle was a major demoralization for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, especially in the backdrop of the recent Chinese claims over the state.

It observed that a berth in the Union Council of Ministers for at least one of the representatives from the state could have instilled confidence in the people and sent a strong signal outside the country.

The party, however, maintained that the decision on constitution of the Union Council of Ministers was a prerogative of the Prime Minister and the internal matter of the Congress party.

Arunachal Pradesh has three representatives in Parliament - two in the Lok Sabha and one in the Rajya Sabha - all from the ruling Congress party.

While both the Lok Sabha MPs have been ministers in the state government, Rajya Sabha MP Mukut Mithi was the former chief minister of the state and also held the post of Governor of Puducherry for a brief period.