Tactful and wise of Congress to replace Tuki with Khandu: NCP

Mumbai (Maharashtra), July 17 (ANI): National Congress Party (NCP) on Sunday lauded the Arunachal Pradesh Congress' move to replace Nabam Tuki with Pema Khandu for the face of Chief Minister and termed it as a "wise" move by the party. "In Arunachal the latest movement by Congress party was quite wise and useful in the sense that if the leadership is changed, the rebels also would turn back to support the organization and they have done it by replacing the leader choosing another CLP leader," NCP leader Mahid Memon told ANI. He further stated that the move was a turning point, since it also made sure that even the rebel Congressmen would be come back and support the party. "I think even rebel Congressmen have decided to come back home and in that situation, they have a very comfortable majority of 44 in the house of 56. So I think the crisis would be over and Arunachal would be ruled by the Congress in the days to come," he said. He further stated that the tactful move by the Congress high command has ensured the success of democracy in the state. "I think it's a success of democracy by a tactful move on the part of Congress high command," he said. On Saturday, Prema Khandu was elected as the new leader of Congress party after 44 MLAs chose him in place of Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, who assumed charge after the Supreme Court restored the government in Arunachal Pradesh. Prema Khandu is the son of late chief minister Dorjee Khandu who died in a chopper crash in 2011 Khandu hails from Tawang area, bordering China. He first entered the Arunachal Pradesh assembly in 2011 in place of his father. Khandu joined the Congress party in early 2000 and became Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee in 2005. Khandu was later re-elected without any opposition from Mukto in the 2014 assembly elections. (ANI)