"Trying to distance himself from the judgment, a setback for BJP which supported CM Kalikho Pul's People's Party of Arunachal government, Rijiju said the developments in the state were an internal matter of Congress. The session, chaired by Thongdok, passed the motion by voice vote and signature consent. "This is Congress's internal matter. Guwahati: Stung by the Supreme Court verdict reinstating Congress rule in Arunachal Pradesh, Kiren Rijiju, Union minister of state for home and one of the tallest BJP leaders from the frontier state, put up a brave face.Rijiju said his party respected the apex court's decision but added that the final verdict on who would rule the state could only be decided by a floor test.Speaking on the sidelines of a conclave here, Rijiju said, "Though I haven't seen the judgment, our government respects the Supreme Court verdict. After all, a party has to prove its strength on the floor of the assembly," Rijiju said.Rijiju also shrugged off responsibility for the Centre's decision to impose President's Rule in Arunachal in January and said the Union cabinet had merely acted on the advice of governor JP Rajkhowa.Arunachal, a mountainous state bordering China and separated by it from the contentious McMahon Line, plunged into a political crisis after the governor brought forward the winter session of the state assembly to December 16 last from January 14 to facilitate the impeachment of pro-Nabam Tuki speaker, Nabam Rebia.The controversial session saw 21 dissident Congress MLAs, 11 BJP legislators, and two Independents gather at a community hall for an impromptu session chaired by deputy speaker T Norbu Thongdok and 'impeach' Rebia.On December 17, 33 members, including the rebel Congress MLAs, supported Pul as the new CM at an assembly session held in an Itanagar hotel.

Source: Times of India July 14, 2016 02:10 UTC