Feb 1, 1999

Apang bows out after reigning unchallenged for 19 years. With the economy in a shambles, CM Mithi has a tough job on hand.

By Mamang Dai

When Gegong Apang welcomed the new year, he wouldn't even have imagined what a change 1999 would herald in his political fortunes. After reigning supreme for 19 years over the affairs of Arunachal Pradesh, Apang -- the country's longest serving chief minister after veteran West Bengal leader Jyoti Basu -- was bundled out ignominiously when his Arunachal Congress (AC) lost the vote of confidence in the 60-member state Assembly on January 18. And the David who felled this Goliath was his former forests minister Mukut Mithi, who spearheaded the revolt. Mithi, 47, was sworn in the state's fourth chief minister a day later.

It was a fight to the finish. Even Apang's impassioned speech at a special session of the Assembly on January 18, recalling how they "shared aspirations to transform Arunachal into one of the most beautiful and prosperous states in the country", left the rebels unmoved. Apang walked out of the House with his supporters, losing the vote of confidence 0-36.

The move against Apang, 53, was so well-orchestrated that it caught him unawares. The entire block-level AC members of Tirap district resigned from their posts. Apang, of course, is a veteran at crushing dissent. But this one snowballed into a split in the party as 19 ministers broke away and party leaders at all levels extended support to Mithi. He lured away 24 AC MLAs and formed the breakaway AC (M) which eventually formed the Government with the support of eight Independents and four Congress MLAs. On January 20, even as Apang prepared to sit in the opposition, he faced another setback when his AC split further.

After the change of guard in Itanagar, it's time to trade charges. While Apang has ACcused Mithi of playing the communal card to dethrone him, the new chief minister has attributed Apang's exit to years of misrule and partisan politics. Responding to Apang's allegations, Mithi says, "There was a political determination to get united", and in Arunachal, with 25 major tribes, this can only be achieved by starting with the communities first. "The people wanted their representatives to be united against the misrule of the AC government," he says. Though Apang claims credit for maintaining peace in the state despite being in a trouble-torn region, there can be little doubt about the disenchantment with his 19-year rule. The state's economy is in a shambles with no industry to speak of, except the wood-based. And the much hyped peace in the state has not led to the resolution of the Chakma refugee problem. Unheeded, trouble was brewing for Apang.

So, it wasn't exactly a bolt from the blue. The first seeds of discontent were sown during the Lok Sabha elections last year. Apang's son Omak was suddenly thrust into the limelight as the AC candidate over senior and more experienced contenders. Omak, one of the youngest members of Parliament, is now the Union minister of state for tourism. Some of Apang's inept moves too upset his party members. In a May 1997 cabinet reshuffle, Apang suddenly dropped seven senior ministers, apparently to induct new faces whose loyalty he could be sure of. These unfortunate seven included Mithi.

During his almost two-decade rule, Apang changed many hats. After being a part of the Janata Party government in 1978, he switched loyalties to the Congress and became a chief minister in 1980. In September 1996, Apang broke away from the Congress to launch the AC, which is now a part of the ruling coalition at the Centre. All these years, with no opposition to speak of Apang had seemed unbeatable.

Now, even in defeat he is upbeat. "I will continue to be the father of Arunachal whether I am in power or not," he says. With Mithi leading a coalition, instability is bound to follow. And in the shifting world of politics who knows when the veteran Apang may bounce back.

© Living Media India Ltd