President's Rule? Arunachal CM slams Centre, calls it 'vendetta politics'

New Delhi: Arunachal Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Monday hit out at the Centre for recommending President’s Rule in the hill state, and said the move was "politically motivated".

It is learnt that President Pranab Mukherjee is yet to sign the recommendation and will meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh later in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, there are reports from the ground in Arunachal capital Itanagar that trouble has hit the streets. A large mob, it is reported, has gheraoed Raj Bhavan.

Arunachal Pradesh was rocked by a political crisis on December 16 last year as 21 rebel Congress MLAs joined hands with 11 of BJP and two independents to 'impeach' Assembly Speaker Nabam Rebia at a makeshift venue, in a move branded as "illegal and unconstitutional" by the Speaker.

Read: Arunachal crisis: Sonia-led delegation to meet President as Congress mulls approaching SC

Expressing shock at the decision to impose President's Rule, Tuki said on Monday his government was not even consulted on the matter and that this was "vendetta politics by the NDA government". The Chief Minister asserted that there was no need for President's Rule in the state and that there was absolute peace in the state with no reports of law and order breakdown.

"I cannot understand why the union cabinet is in such hurry when the matter is pending in the Supreme Court," he said in a tweet.

The Chief Minister will be meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi to discuss the issue.

The Cabinet had met Sunday morning and recommended imposition of President's rule in the hill state, which is facing a political turmoil.

The Congress Party dubbed the government's move as 'unconstitutional' and alleged that it exposed the dictatorial tendencies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his people.

Read: Arunachal CM Nabam Tuki ‘shocked’ over Cabinet’s recommendation

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit accused the Central Government of playing with fire in a 'sensitive' border state.

"It is completely condemnable and unconstitutional. The Congress has majority in Arunachal Pradesh and, therefore, the Prime Minister, BJP MPs from Arunachal Pradesh and local BJP leaders are trying to destabilise the government there," Dikshit said.

"It shows the dictatorial tendencies of the Prime Minister and his people. They should immediately take back this order," he added.

Read: Constitutional crisis in Arunachal led to President's rule recommendation: BJP

In Guwahati, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi too termed President’s Rule has a violation of democracy. “When the matter is subjudice, what was the need for this recommendation,” Gogoi asked?

The Janata Dal (United) on Monday held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) responsible for the political crisis in Arunachal Pradesh and accused Governor J.P. Rajkhowa of interfering with state government's functioning.

"The entire crisis in Arunachal Pradesh is due to the Central Ministers. There was a deliberate attempt to pressurise the Speaker of the state assembly. The Governor of the state is responsible for interfering with the government's functioning, he should be recalled immediately. We condemn this and this is against the spirit of cooperative federalism," JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi said.

In December, up in arms against Congress Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, 21 rebel party MLAs, including 14 disqualified a day before, with the help of BJP and independent legislators, congregated at a community hall after the state Assembly complex was 'sealed' by the local administration, and 'impeached' Rebia in an impromptu session chaired by Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok.

27 MLAs in 60-member Assembly, including the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues, boycotted the proceedings.

A day later, in a bizarre turn of events, opposition BJP and rebel Congress MLAs congregated in a local hotel to "vote out" Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and to "elect" a rebel Congress MLA in his place but the Gauhati High Court intervened to keep in "abeyance" decisions taken at the rebel "session".

A "no confidence" motion moved by BJP MLAs and Independent MLAs was "adopted" with Deputy Speaker T Norbu Thongdok, who is also a rebel Congressman, in the Chair. A total of 33 members in the 60-member house, including 20 dissident Congress MLAs, later "elected" another dissident Congressman Kalikho Pul as the new "chief minister" of the state. The Chief Minister Nabam Tuki and his 26 supporting MLAs boycotted the proceedings terming them as "illegal and unconstitutional".

The Chief Minister later wrote to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking their intervention to "uphold" the Constitution in the face of the "unprecedented murder" of democracy and "bypassing" of a democratically-elected government by Governor Jyoti Prashad Rajkhowa.