We have open mind in reaching out to rebels in Arunachal Pradesh: Congress

NEW DELHI: Congress today said it has an "open mind" in reaching out to party rebels in Arunachal Pradesh, insisting that even now it commanded a majority in the northeastern state which was brought under President's rule last night.

AICC General Secretary V Narainsamy and party spokesman Raj Babbar, however, refrained from making any comment on President Pranab Mukherjee giving his approval to the recommendation of the Union Cabinet to bring the state under central rule.

"We do not want to make any comment on that because whatever the President decided, it is on record," Narainsamy said at the AICC briefing. Babbar also spoke likewise on queries on the issue.

Replying to questions whether the party will approach rebel MLAs, he remarked, "We have an open mind. We will not shut our doors."

The Congress general secretary dismissed suggestions whether the party would parade its MLAs before the President. He said that Supreme Court judgement in the SR Bommai case has made it clear that Raj Bhawan is not the place where the majority has to be proved.

At the same time, both the Congress leaders claimed that the party has majority in the Assembly.

"Take the case of 47 MLAs (out of a total 60)- they are all of the Congress. None of them have joined any other political party. 14 have been disqualified by the Speaker which was upheld by the Guwahati High Court."

"The remaining 31 are Congress-men even today. How can the BJP say that we have no majority? This all is ploy created by the BJP to dislodge the duly-elected Congress government in the state," Narainsamy said.

He expressed concern over appointment of only RSS-backed, RSS-minded persons as governors in the northeast whether it is Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya or even Assam.

"This shows the sinister design of Narendra Modi government to dislodge constitutionally elected Congress governments in the northeastern state. They wanted to test and Arunachal Pradesh is the first case," he added.

"Congress has full faith in the judicial process and in Supreme Court, which is currently hearing the matter. Constitutional norms, democracy and federalism will win at the altar of justice. Conspiracy to debunk democracy and murder of federalism will be defeated substantively," Narainsamy and Babbar said in a statement.