Arunachal Pradesh's longest-serving Chief Minister Gegong Apang, a front runner for the Chief Minister's post, got a shot in the arm ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting with as many as 11 of the 13 Independents pledging support to his leadership.
The 11 legislators, who held parleys till late on Tuesday night at a hotel in the city, formed a new body, Arunachal Democratic Legislators Forum, and decided to extend support to the "Apang-led Congress Government for its full tenure of five years."
The forum's chairman, RK Khrimey, took the decision after having a threadbare discussion on the emerging political process leading to the formation of the Congress Government in the state, sources said.
The forum has also informed Apang and CWC member Ramesh Chennithala about its decision, which they termed as an "effort to form a stable government".