Was a 'dance bar' a venue for removal of Arunachal CM Nabam Tuki? JD(U) MP asks

NEW DELHI: Did MLAs from BJP and Congress rebel faction in Arunachal Pradesh meet in a 'dance bar' to remove Nabam Tuki as chief minister?, JD-U MP K C Tyagi asked today while attacking Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa for the escalating crisis in the state.

Tyagi posed the question in the Rajya Sabha when the Congress was pressing for adjournment of business under Rule 267 to take up discussion on the crisis in the north-eastern state during the pre-noon session.

"Dance bar was the venue of meeting of MLAs yesterday," he said, and asked, "How can you hold meeting in a restaurant?"

Opposition BJP and rebel Congress MLAs had yesterday got together in a hotel in Itanagar to "vote out" the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government and to elect a rebel Congress MLA as the new chief minister.

The dramatic development came a day after they "impeached" Speaker Nabam Rebia in a makeshift "Assembly" premises in a community hall.

Eleven BJP MLAs and two Independent MLAs joined hands with 20 Congress rebels in a House which has a total strength of 60. They met in a hotel as the Assembly premises has been sealed since Wednesday.

Attacking Governor Rajkhowa, Tyagi said smaller parties like JD-U, SP, BSP, DMK, AIADMK, CPI and CPM are the most vulnerable to misuse of constitutional powers.

He said never before has a Governor done what is happening in Arunachal Pradesh.

The Governor had advanced the winter session of the assembly by a month without concurrence or recommendation of the state government.