Arunachal verdict: decision against majority, says BJP

A day after the Supreme Court ruling on Arunachal Pradesh that restored the Nabam Tuki-led Congress government in the state, The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday said that it was a decision against the majority.

"I don't want to comment on it much but this decision is against the majority. The one who has the majority is being made to sit in opposition and power is being handed over to Nabam Tuki ji who lost majority due to his involvement in corrupt acts," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma told ANI here.

Responding to Congress Party demand of probe into the alleged tape-recorded conversation between some BJP leaders and a businessman in which they were allegedly conspiring to topple the Nabam Tuki government, Sharma sought to remind Rahul Gandhi of the several instances when the Congress controversially used Article 356 to dismiss governments.

"Congress must not teach BJP as to what is democracy. And the way they have looted the entire country. ED and CBI is investigating against Uttarakhand Chief Minister but he is to shameless to resign. The party whose president and vice-president are out on bail they should not give lectures on corruption and democracy," he added.

He also said it will be better for Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi if he pays attention to his party rather than BJP.

"They were their own leaders in Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh who left the party. They must look into their own house before commenting on us," he added.

Congress leader Nabam Tuki had yesterday assumed charge as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh in Arunachal Bhavan at New Delhi.

Tuki said that it is a democratically elected government and added that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been taught a lesson by the Judiciary.

A five-judge constitution bench had yesterday pronounced the verdict on a bunch of petitions dealing with discretionary powers of the governor to summon or advance the assembly session.

Stating the governor's direction on conducting assembly proceedings is unconstitutional, the apex court set aside all steps and decision taken by the legislative assembly pursuant to the governor's December 9th last year order and said they are unsustainable.

Arunachal Pradesh had been under President's Rule since January 26.

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

The Congress, which had 47 MLAs seats in the 60-member assembly, suffered a jolt when 21 of its lawmakers rebelled. Eleven BJP MLAs backed the rebels in the bid to upstage the government. Later, 14 rebel Congress MLAs were disqualified.