New Delhi, April 4: A weeklong drama that started in Itanagar and raged in the national capital today seems to be drawing to a close. The result may well go against Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang.
Leading the pack of opponents is power minister Dorjee Khandu, who has been camping here at an undisclosed location for the last few days with his select band of legislators.
Today, Khandu called on the Congress’ Northeast in-charge, Oscar Fernandez, and asked him to finalise the leadership in the state.
“I have the support of 25 Congress legislators, 10 Independents and two Nationalist Congress Party legislators. Apang has only eight Congressmen left with him,” said Khandu.
On Monday, Khandu had called on Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Later in the night, Fernandez will call on Sonia after she returns from the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh, a source said.
Topping the list of supporters is public works department (PWD) minister Nabam Taki. He fell out with Apang after legal entanglement on certain issues, which the former believed were machinations of the chief minister.
Khandu said anti-Apang feelings were simmering among Congressmen of the state for some time now. Failure of security personnel, skewed development and dwindling influence of the Congress at the grassroots level in the state have been attributed to Apang.
Khandu alleged that Apang had done little to check the influx of Ulfa, Naga and Bodo militants into various districts. “From the outside, Arunachal is peaceful, but it is not,” said Khandu, adding that he is expecting a final decision from the party high command by tomorrow.
Insiders in the party have kept their fingers crossed but the confidence exuded about Apang’s invincibility was clearly missing.
Khandu said it was fellow partymen who had told him to take the lead.
Unless 10 Janpath disapproves, Khandu is set to be the third chief minister in four years._Apang toppled Mukut Mithi in August 2003. Now, Khandu has replayed Apang’s action.
“The government will not be unstable with 25 Congress MLAs on my side,” Khandu added.
