43 out of 44 Congress MLA's in Arunachal Pradesh Defects to PPA Friday Sep 16,2016

Barely two months after the Supreme Court restored it to power, the Congress on Friday lost its government in Arunachal Pradesh when its entire Legislature Party (CLP) barring former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki joined the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) which, in turn, will become part of the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

“We have all joined the PPA today (Friday) morning in the larger interest of Arunachal Pradesh. Since the PPA is already part of NEDA, we think that is the best option to work for the larger interest and overall development of the state,” Arunachal Pradesh deputy chief minister Chowna Mein told

While the Congress had a strength of 44 in the 60-member state assembly following the demise of former chief minister Kaliko Pul, the PPA strength in the Assembly stands at 43 because another former chief minister Nabam Tuki chose to remain with the Congress.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who replaced Nabam Tuki following a dissident campaign in July 2016, paraded 42 MLAs before Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, who accepted their joining the PPA.
The merger would be notified in the Assembly bulletin, formalising the political development that leaves Congress with governments only in Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram in the northeast