Stability at last

A governance vacuum in Arunachal Pradesh could come at a high price,and not merely because its a border state. The appointment of Nabam Tuki as chief minister is therefore a welcome development. With the ruling Congress wrecked by political infighting for months and violent clashes in the street between the rival factions,it was necessary to defuse the crisis before the situation leapt completely out of control. At his swearing in,the new chief minister did two right things: articulate the plurality of the polity and government,while apologising to the people of the state for the inconvenience of the last several months; and,emphasise the need to embark on the development of the state.

The opposition to the Jarbom Gamlin administration,which began immediately after he took over as chief minister after the death of Dorjee Khandu in a helicopter crash last April,had split the Congress right down the middle,with the opposing groups camping in New Delhi,seeking the party high commands intervention. Long-neglected,and of late thrust upon the national consciousness by its ministers persistent pleas for attention,Arunachal needs a lot of work both for the sake of the people of the state and given Indias imperative to upgrade the infrastructure and services in its border states,especially those in the Northeast. Arunachal itself has over 1,000 km of border with China. Road and air connectivity is where the work begins,the pace and quality of which will determine much of the rest.

The prime minsters special economic package to Arunachal,made out three years ago,has been sitting idle,while the state government was imploding. The collapse of a suspension footbridge last week,which killed 50 people,mostly children,is as much an indicator of what Arunachal needs,and at what speed,as are its poor health and information services.