Itanagar, November 1: Dissident leader Nabam Tuki was on Tuesday sworn in as Arunachal Pradesh's seventh Chief Minister, ending a two week political drama over the demand for leadership change.
Mr. Tuki, who had led the dissent against his predecessor Jarbom Gamlin was sworn in by Governor J.J. Singh in the presence of AICC observers, Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, former Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region, B.K. Handique and party's general secretary and in-charge of Arunachal Pradesh Dhaniram Shandil.
Mr. Tuki, the first Chief Minister from the Nyishi community, told reporters that his priority was to maintain communal harmony among all tribes for development of the land-locked State.
Mr. Tuki was chosen as Mr. Gamlin's successor by the Congress high command after the latter stepped down.
On Monday, 40 of 42 Congress legislators signed a one-point resolution authorising AICC president Sonia Gandhi to appoint a new CLP leader in the State.
Mr. Gamlin, who was sworn in as Chief Minister on May 5 after the death of former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, had in his resignation letter recommended the names of Power (Electrical) Minister Setong Sena and Finance Minister Kalikho Pul for the top job, official sources said.
The change in leadership was demanded by a majority of Congress legislators led by Mr. Tuki, the APCC chief.
On October 29, both Mr. Gamlin and Mr. Tuki had offered to resign from their posts. The AICC president had met both of them that evening.
The rift between Mr. Tuki and Mr. Gamlin had become a major issue dividing the party along ethnic lines in the State with the majority of Congress legislators demanding Mr. Gamlin's resignation for his alleged ‘authoritarian rule'.
Besides 42 members of the Congress, Trinamool Congress has five in the 60-member house, NCP five, People's Party of Arunachal four, the BJP three besides an Independent.Trinamool Congress and NCP provide outside support to the Congress government.
Starting his political innings as a grassroot worker, Nabam Tuki today reached the pinnacle of his political career as the seventh chief minister of the sensitive border state of Arunachal Pradesh. Tuki was first elected to the second legislative assembly in 1995 from Sagalee constituency and served as the deputy agriculture minister in the Gegong Apang ministry. He also served as Transport and Civil Aviation minister in 1988.
Earlier, he was the IFCD minister in 1996. He was re-elected to the assembly in 1999 from the same constituency and became a cabinet minister with the Environment and Forest portfolio in the Mukut Mithi ministry. He was re-elected in the 2004 and 2009 assembly elections and served as the PWD and urban Development minister under the Apang and Khandu ministries.
Born on July 7, 1964 in remote Ompuli village in Sagalee sub-division under Papum Pare district, Tuki is a graduate and has seven children, including two sons. He also served as state NSUI President (1983 to 1986) and was Chairman, North East NSUI Coordination Committee (1984 to 1986). He was General Secretary, All India NSUI (1986 to 1988) and Arunachal Pradesh Youth Congress President (1988 to 1995).
Tuki also served as Vice Chairman, North Eastern Youth Congress Coordination Committee (1988 to 1993) and as Working President, North Eastern Youth Congress Coordination Committee from 1993 to 1995.
An avid sports lover, Tuki is also the current president of the Arunachal Cricket Association.
