Arunachal episode a 'hard slap' on PM Modi's face: CPI (M)

Amid reports of the Congress having garnered the support of 44 MLAs in Arunachal Pradesh, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Saturday termed the developments as 'a hard slap' on the face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP's leadership.

"The development in Arunachal is not a setback but a hard slap on the face of the BJP and their entire leadership," CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat told ANI.

"Within one week the BJP, its president Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are on a spree to topple government's all over the country. Wherever they are not in government. Now they have got two hard slaps," she added.

She further noted that in context of the recent events in Arunachal Pradesh, the unprincipled and opportunist politics had come a full circle for the BJP.

The CPI (M) leader, however, pointed out that the floor of the assembly is always the best way to test the majority of any government.

Hitting out at the BJP, Karat said the saffron party should learn about the Constitution of India.

"They should learn lessons both about the Constitution, federal character of India and the issue of principled politics," she said.

Meanwhile, the much anticipated floor test in Arunachal Pradesh state Assembly was apparently cancelled after Nabam Tuki resigned as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

Congress MLA Pema Khandu, the son of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, has been elected as the chief of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

Tuki, on his part, said that he sacrificed all his powers in a bid to strengthen the grand old party.

Tuki resigned owing to internal disputes in the party over his leadership.

Rejecting Tuki's request to provide some more time to hold the floor test to prove his majority, Governor Tathagata Roy yesterday said the floor test would go ahead as scheduled.

The Supreme Court, in a historic verdict on Wednesday, reinstated Tuki-led Congress Government and quashed the actions of the Governor post December 15 last year.

In December last, Congress rebels, backed by the BJP, staged a coup and ousted Nabam Tuki as chief minister.