Arunachal Congress
Encyclopedia
Arunachal Congress is a regional political party
in the India
n state of Arunachal Pradesh
. AC was founded in September 1996 as a splinter-group of Indian National Congress
, when the local party leader and Chief Minister Gegong Apang
revolted against the then Congress leader P.V. Narasimha Rao. Apang took with him 54 members of the legislative assembly (of a total of 60) of Arunachal Pradesh
to his new party. In the Lok Sabha
elections 1998 AC won both seats of Arunachal Pradesh. The party got 172 496 votes (52,47% of the votes in the state). AC allied itself with the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) and was a founding member of the National Democratic Alliance
. The son of Gegong Apang, who had been elected from the constituency Arunachal West, was appointed a minister in the Centre government.
The successes of AC didn't last long. Directly after the 1998 elections there was an inner-party revolt. Wangcha Rajkumar, who had been elected to the Lok Sabha
from the constituency Arunachal East in both 1996 and 1998 considered that Apang had resorted to nepotism when his son was appointed minister. Five state ministers that had sided with Rajkumar were fired by Apang. One of the exministers, Mukut Mithi
, split and formed the Arunachal Congress (Mithi)
. AC(M) was able to gather 40 members of the legislative assembly and Mithi formed a government. Initially both AC and AC(M) supported the Vajpayee
government, but since Rajkumar wasn't allotted a ministerial post AC(M) merged with the Indian National Congress ahead of the 1999 elections.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha
elections of 1999 AC ran in alliance with BJP]. Omak Apang stood in Arunchal West (came second with 70 760 votes, 30,07% in that constituency). In Arunachal East Rajkumar (now back in INC) defeated the BJP candidate. One reason, its claimed, that the AC-BJP combine fared so badly was that several armed factions (especially the powerful National Socialist Council of Nagaland
) in the area worked against them.
The legislative assembly elections same year gave even worse results. AC launched 38 candidates, but only one (Gegong Apang) was elected. In total the party got 68 645 votes (16,68% of the votes in the state).
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2004 the political map of Arunachal Pradesh
had been redrawn yet again. July 25, 2003 there was a new split in the INC, and a new party Congress (Dolo)
was formed. Apang formed a front called United Democratic Front consisting of himself, Congress (D), an expelled Congress MLA and two independents. In total Apang was able to gather 41 MLAs around gum, and on August 3 Apang was again sworn in as Chief Minister of the state. On August 30 Apang joined BJP] and took with his 41 MLAs. Thus BJP controlled a state government in the North-East for the first time.
Arunachal Congress did however continue to exist as a party even after that the founder Apang had joined BJP.
Ahead of the 2004 Lok Sabha] elections AC talked about calling for a boycott, as a protest against that Chakma
and Hajong
refugees had been given the right to vote in the state. In the end the party did however decide to contest, this time allied with Indian National Congress. AC launched its new party president, Kamen Ringu
, in Arunachal West. Ringu came second and got 76 527 votes (34,54% in that constituency). In Arunachal East INC had launched a candidate, that also came second.
In the legislative assembly elections 2004 AC had put up 11 candidates, out of whom two were elected.
The leadership of the party is called Arunachal Congress Working Committee (ACWC).
The organization Arunachal Congress Volunteer Force is probably related to the party.
Just before, 2009 Assembly election, Arunachal Congress merged with Indian National Congress.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
. AC was founded in September 1996 as a splinter-group of Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
, when the local party leader and Chief Minister Gegong Apang
Gegong Apang
Gegong Apang is an Indian politician from Arunachal Pradesh. He was born to parents of Adi descent. He served as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh from January 18, 1980 to January 19, 1999 and again from August 2003 to April 2007, when he was replaced by Dorjee Khandu.-Political career:Apang...
revolted against the then Congress leader P.V. Narasimha Rao. Apang took with him 54 members of the legislative assembly (of a total of 60) of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
to his new party. In the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
elections 1998 AC won both seats of Arunachal Pradesh. The party got 172 496 votes (52,47% of the votes in the state). AC allied itself with the Bharatiya Janata Party
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party ,; translation: Indian People's Party) is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Indian National Congress. Established in 1980, it is India's second largest political party in terms of representation in the parliament...
(BJP) and was a founding member of the National Democratic Alliance
National Democratic Alliance (India)
The National Democratic Alliance is a centre-right coalition of political parties in India. At the time of its formation in 1998, it was led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and had thirteen constituent parties. Its convenor is Sharad Yadav, and its honorary chairman is former prime minister Atal...
. The son of Gegong Apang, who had been elected from the constituency Arunachal West, was appointed a minister in the Centre government.
The successes of AC didn't last long. Directly after the 1998 elections there was an inner-party revolt. Wangcha Rajkumar, who had been elected to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from the constituency Arunachal East in both 1996 and 1998 considered that Apang had resorted to nepotism when his son was appointed minister. Five state ministers that had sided with Rajkumar were fired by Apang. One of the exministers, Mukut Mithi
Mukut Mithi
Mukut Mithi is the former Chief Minister of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. He served as an MLA consecutively from 1983 until his appointment as Lieutenant Governor of Pondicherry in 2006...
, split and formed the Arunachal Congress (Mithi)
Arunachal Congress (Mithi)
Arunachal Congress , was a break-away group of Arunachal Congress. AC was formed in 1998 when Mukut Mithi led a revolt against the AC leader Gegong Apang. AC gathered 40 Members of the Legislative Assembly of Arunachal Pradesh and one of the AC members of the Lok Sabha, Wangcha Rajkumar. AC formed...
. AC(M) was able to gather 40 members of the legislative assembly and Mithi formed a government. Initially both AC and AC(M) supported the Vajpayee
Vajpayee
Vajpayee or Bajpai is a North Indian Brahmin surname, common, among other places, especially in Lucknow. Brahmins,are further sub categorised as Kanyakubjas, a group that also includes Awasthi, Dixits, Tewari, Tripathi, Agnihotri etc...
government, but since Rajkumar wasn't allotted a ministerial post AC(M) merged with the Indian National Congress ahead of the 1999 elections.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
elections of 1999 AC ran in alliance with BJP]. Omak Apang stood in Arunchal West (came second with 70 760 votes, 30,07% in that constituency). In Arunachal East Rajkumar (now back in INC) defeated the BJP candidate. One reason, its claimed, that the AC-BJP combine fared so badly was that several armed factions (especially the powerful National Socialist Council of Nagaland
National Socialist Council of Nagaland
The Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland is a Naga nationalist militant group operating in Northeast India. Its aim is to establish a Christian socialist state based on Maoism in the areas inhabited by the Naga people in Northeast India and Burma.-Formation:The National Socialist Council of...
) in the area worked against them.
The legislative assembly elections same year gave even worse results. AC launched 38 candidates, but only one (Gegong Apang) was elected. In total the party got 68 645 votes (16,68% of the votes in the state).
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2004 the political map of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
had been redrawn yet again. July 25, 2003 there was a new split in the INC, and a new party Congress (Dolo)
Congress (Dolo)
Congress , a group that split away from Indian National Congress in Arunachal Pradesh. Congress was founded July 25, 2003. Together with Gegong Apang of Arunachal Congress, Congress formed a state government. On August 30 Congress merged with Bharatiya Janata Party....
was formed. Apang formed a front called United Democratic Front consisting of himself, Congress (D), an expelled Congress MLA and two independents. In total Apang was able to gather 41 MLAs around gum, and on August 3 Apang was again sworn in as Chief Minister of the state. On August 30 Apang joined BJP] and took with his 41 MLAs. Thus BJP controlled a state government in the North-East for the first time.
Arunachal Congress did however continue to exist as a party even after that the founder Apang had joined BJP.
Ahead of the 2004 Lok Sabha] elections AC talked about calling for a boycott, as a protest against that Chakma
Chakma
Chakma may refer to:*Chakma people, a Tibeto-Burman people of Bangladesh and Northeast India*Chakma language, the Indo-European language spoken by them*Chakma script...
and Hajong
Hajong
The Hajong is a tribal ethnic group in the Indian Subcontinent & four major Tribe in Meghalaya. Hajong people are spread out across northeast India and Bangladesh. At present their population is more than 100,000 in India and 30,000 in Bangladesh. Hajongs are predominantly rice farmers although...
refugees had been given the right to vote in the state. In the end the party did however decide to contest, this time allied with Indian National Congress. AC launched its new party president, Kamen Ringu
Kamen Ringu
Kamen Ringu is the president of the Arunachal Congress, a political party in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.-References:...
, in Arunachal West. Ringu came second and got 76 527 votes (34,54% in that constituency). In Arunachal East INC had launched a candidate, that also came second.
In the legislative assembly elections 2004 AC had put up 11 candidates, out of whom two were elected.
The leadership of the party is called Arunachal Congress Working Committee (ACWC).
The organization Arunachal Congress Volunteer Force is probably related to the party.
Just before, 2009 Assembly election, Arunachal Congress merged with Indian National Congress.