Political Implications Of Supreme Court's Arunachal Verdict

There could not have been a worse day for the BJP to face this embarrassment. On the day that party president, Amit Shah, is to launch the Northeast Democratic Alliance (NEDA) in Guwahati where he will unveil the “Guwahati Declaration” with a slogan for Congress Mukt Northeast, the Supreme Court ruled to restore the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh. To rub salt into its wounds, the bench of the apex court termed the decision to dismiss the government and impose Presidential Rule “illegal and unconstitutional”. The Guwahati meet will be attended by Kalikho Pul who took over as Arunachal Pradesh chief minister in February after high drama in Itanagar. Three other CMs – Sarbananda Sonowal of Assam, T R Zeliang of Nagaland and Pawan Chamling of Sikkim – alongwith the BJP chiefs of the eight north-eastern states will be present at the event where the BJP will blame the Congress for the underdevelopment of the region. The BJP has proudly highlighted its assembly poll victory in Assam as its entry gate into the Northeast, long a bastion of the Congress and of its split away group regional parties.