Former Arunachal CM quits BJP, slams Modi govt for not addressing “real issues”!

Guwahati, January 16, 2019:

In yet another jolt to the BJP in the Northeast region, former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang, who acted as CM for 23 years (from 18 January 1980-19 January 1999 and again from August 2003-April 2007), has resigned from primary membership of the BJP.

Apang’s decision comes at a time when the BJP’s stranglehold over the region is seen to be in serious jeopardy in light of the highly unpopular Citizenship (Amendment) Bill being attempted to be passed in Parliament.

Apang informed of his decision yesterday on Twitter and slammed the BJP party for deviating from the principles of the late-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, whom he called “one of the greatest democrats our country has ever produced.”

Further slamming the BJP party, Apang stated that “the party is now a platform to seek power, it serves a leadership which hates decentralization of democratic decision making.”

He also criticized the BJP leadership in Northeastern states. “The rank and file of the BJP in most of the Northeastern states has no role in any participatory democratic exercise within their state units. They have now become habitual of uploading and downloading decisions from the NAMO App,” alleged the former CM.

He also expressed dissatisfaction at the government for not tackling “real issues” such as Naga peace talks, Chakma-Hajong issue, amendments of citizenship Bill, telecommunications and real time digital connectivity to peaceful and cordial relation with Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.