As the Congress high command grapples with the leadership issue, following its modest victory in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly polls, odds favour the continuation of Chief Minister Gegong Apang.A meeting of the legislature party has been convened for Wednesday to allow the newly-elected MLAs to choose their leader. State party president Mukut Mithi is pressing his claim, citing loyalty as the prime qualification, but the high command may find it expedient to retain Apang.It was for the same reason that the leadership chose to accept Apang back into its fold, ignoring the fact that he had toppled the party’s government led by Mithi and led the entire flock to the BJP.Sources said that Apang commands a firm support of at least 17 of the 34 party MLAs. Therefore, it could be risky for the party to deny him the CM’s post and set the stage for a future coup. Though the new anti-defection law makes a split far more difficult than before, a disgruntled Apang is hardly a recipe for stability of a government led by Mithi.Apang, with his long innings as CM, has his utility for the Congress which goes beyond the borders of Nagaland. His services could be of immense use for the Congress to topple the Neiphiu Rio Government in the border-state.Amid jubilation, there is a sense of disquiet in the Congress over the fact that the BJP has gained a foothold in the state, which was once considered out of bounds for the saffron outfit. A senior leader said, ‘‘A score of nine seats by the BJP must worry us.’’
