The return of a Congress government, albeit with a different Chief Minister, restores a semblance of political stability in Arunachal Pradesh, which was caught in a political and constitutional crisis. When Kalikho Pul, the rebel faction head, was sworn in as Chief Minister in February, he claimed the support of 29 Congress MLAs. In a clever and unexpected twist, the Congress retained power by backing 36-year-old Pema Khandu as Chief Minister after it became evident that former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki would fail to command a majority. After Mr. Tuki’s regime was reinstated after the Supreme Court verdict, he stood no chance of surviving a floor test. Out of the 47 MLAs with the Congress, 14 were disqualified by the Speaker in December, while two were told that their resignations had been accepted.

Source: The Hindu July 17, 2016 19:41 UTC