NEW DELHI, October 15 (AGENCIES): Congress legislators from Arunachal Pradesh demanding ouster of Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin are evidently upbeat. Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President and state Minister for PWD and UD Nabam Tuki, to whom they have extended support against Gamlin, today had an audience with AICC President Sonia Gandhi to discuss on the single-point agenda of leadership change. Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin, who was urgently summoned to New Delhi, AICC Political Advisor Ahmed Patel, Union Minister for Power Sushil Kumar Sinde, CWC in-charge for Arunachal Col Shandil, former DONER minister B K Handique and AICC General Secretary Oscar Fernandes were also present in the meeting at 10 Janpath that began at 11.30 this morning that went for more than an hour.
The meet is said to be of utmost importance as Tuki, who is a Congress loyalist and responsible for the party’s growth in the Himalayan state, has been projected by the dissident legislators as the Chief Minister in place of Gamlin.
Though no final decision was announced by the AICC President, Tuki supporters expressed hope that she would take a decision that would always be in interest of the party and its existence in Arunachal Pradesh.
A party source, meanwhile, on condition of anonymity informed that while expressing concern over the turn of events Mrs Gandhi sought written assurances from Tuki and Gamlin that they would abide by whatever decision taken by the Congress High Command to end the crisis that has literally brought governance in the strategically located state to a standstill.
The source confirmed that both Tuki and Gamlin have jointly signed on an assurance accepting to abide by the High Command’s decision while giving full authority to her to decide on the leadership issue in the state. This has made the Tuki camp livid.
“The CM signing to abide by the High Command’s decision is almost equivalent to signing his resignation. It’s just a matter of time,” quipped a legislator.
However, on the other hand, the party source could not confirm any date by which the High Command’s decision would come forth.
“It may take a couple of days. AICC might wait for normalcy to return in Arunachal and then make the big announcement,” was all he said.
The meet is said to be of utmost importance as Tuki, who is a Congress loyalist and responsible for the party’s growth in the Himalayan state, has been projected by the dissident legislators as the Chief Minister in place of Gamlin.
Though no final decision was announced by the AICC President, Tuki supporters expressed hope that she would take a decision that would always be in interest of the party and its existence in Arunachal Pradesh.
A party source, meanwhile, on condition of anonymity informed that while expressing concern over the turn of events Mrs Gandhi sought written assurances from Tuki and Gamlin that they would abide by whatever decision taken by the Congress High Command to end the crisis that has literally brought governance in the strategically located state to a standstill.
The source confirmed that both Tuki and Gamlin have jointly signed on an assurance accepting to abide by the High Command’s decision while giving full authority to her to decide on the leadership issue in the state. This has made the Tuki camp livid.
“The CM signing to abide by the High Command’s decision is almost equivalent to signing his resignation. It’s just a matter of time,” quipped a legislator.
However, on the other hand, the party source could not confirm any date by which the High Command’s decision would come forth.
“It may take a couple of days. AICC might wait for normalcy to return in Arunachal and then make the big announcement,” was all he said.
