He had CM Nabam Tuki’s ear until he sought his chair

Ten months after that, Chief Minister Nabam Tuki allegedly got reports that Pul was engaged in a secret mission to topple him. He not only dropped him but also saw to it that the Congress expelled him for anti-party activities in April. In less than a year, four more ministers reportedly began secretly meeting him, prompting Tuki to drop them too. That was in October 2015, and as many as 21 Congress legislators had already sided with Pul, leaving only 26 with Tuki.

“I know what finance is, and how funds have been misappropriated by Tuki and his associates,” Pul said after the makeshift assembly “elected” him “leader” Thursday. “Look at the condition of roads. Moreover, more than half the 880 hospitals and health centres in the state have no doctors or nurses. Give me an opportunity and I will not only set things right but also see to it those responsible for the mess are taken to task.”

Though the Congress dissidents and BJP legislators have projected him as a chief ministerial candidate, Pul faces some problems. The Pradesh Congress Committee has lodged an FIR accusing him of bribing Congress MLAs to join the BJP, and submitted a purported phone conversation with a businessman of Assam in which Pul allegedly sought financial support to bribe the MLAs. Also, the All Nishyi Students’ Union last week filed an FIR accusing Pul of derogatory remarks against the Nishyi community, .

Chief Minister Tuki and his cousin Nabam Rebia, the Speaker, belong to the Nishyi community. Pul, father of five sons, hails from the Kaman Mishmi community, whose population is barely 2,500.