Arunachal Pradesh crisis: Pema Khandu elected CLP chief ahead of floor test

Few hours ahead of much-anticipated floor test which is to decide the fate of the Arunachal Pradesh state Assembly, Pema Khandu, son of former Chief Minister Dorgee Khandu, has been elected as the chief of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

Former chief minister Nabam Tuki has 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.

Tuki, addressing a letter to the Governor had sought at least ten days time from for the floor test, but Governor Roy declined his request stating that in the view of upcoming monsoon, which might lead to rainfall and landslides, the deferment of floor test will be difficult.

The Governor's directive came a day after the Supreme Court, in a historic verdict on Wednesday, restored Tuki as Chief Minister, a position he lost last December when Congress rebels, backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), staged a coup.

Tuki-led Congress government was dismissed following days of turmoil after 21 of its 47 legislators rebelled against the chief minister.

Eleven BJP MLAs backed the rebels in the bid to upstage the government. Later, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified.