Kalikho Pul takes oath as Arunachal chief minister

Rebel Congress leader Kalikho Pul on Friday took oath as the 8th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh after President Pranab Mukherjee revoked President’s Rule which was imposed in the state since January 26.

Pul was administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor J P Rajkhowa in an unprecedented swearing-in ceremony held at the Raj Bhavan in state capital Itanagar. His cabinet would be sworn in after a week.

“As I promised that our fight is not against the Congress party. We are still in Congress. But our fight is against corruption of Tuki government.

 This will be a government for a better Arunachal and we have support cutting across political lines,” Pul told Deccan Herald over phone from Itanagar moments before taking oath.

This government formation left many political pundits pondering since it is for the first time that Congress and BJP MLAs have joined hands to form a government in the country.

“Our 11 MLAs have supported Pul because he was fighting to dislodge a corrupt government. Arunachal needs good governance and thus 19 Congress MLAs, 2 independent MLAs and 11 of our BJP MLAs have come together. We have given unconditional outside support to Pul because we want good governance,” said Tamiyo Taga, leader of the BJP legislature party.

The deck for Pul’s coronation was cleared by the Supreme Court on February 18 when it withdrew the status quo formation of a new government in the state.

On February 15, Pul had paraded 32 MLAs (including himself) in front of the governor showing that he has a majority.