Pul claims support of majority MLAs in Arunachal

Guwahati: Dismissed Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul on Thursday claimed support of majority MLAs of the state.

"We need to see the facts very carefully. The SC has not directed that the party composition shall be restored as on December 15. Accordingly, the party composition of the Arunachal Assembly is Congress - 15, PPA - 30, BJP - 11 and Independents - 2," Pul said at a press conference here.

"With this party composition, I wonder whether Nabam Tuki will be able to win a confidence vote," he said.

Parading 36 MLAs in front of the media, Pul asserted he has the support of 43 members of the Arunachal Legislative Assembly, which has a total strength of 60.

Asked if there was any fear of horse-trading, Pul said "That fear is always there. He (Tuki) is calling all members for influencing them."

On filing a review petition against the Supreme Court judgement, he said legal experts would be consulted first.

On the law and order situation in Arunachal Pradesh, he said "I have been a minister for 23 years and for the first time I saw a situation where the home minister was blocking roads and locking Assembly gates. We feared law and order problems. That is why we defected."

Talking about the apex court judgement, Pul claimed there have been instances of preponing sessions, including in the Parliament.

"The SC judgement also did not restore Tuki as CM. The ruling was on three operative parts - preponing of the session, Governor's message to the Speaker and quashing of the proceeding of December 16 and 17. So, it only reinstated the Speaker.

"However, we do not want to keep fighting as this will give a wrong signal. Now the Governor has asked him to prove majority on the floor, so that will decide everything," he asserted.