Apang returns to head Arunachal Govt for 21st year

Gegong Apang on Saturday returned to the helm of power in Arunachal Pradesh heading a Cong Govt for his 21st year as chief minister.

Gegong Apang on Saturday returned to the helm of power in Arunachal Pradesh heading a Congress government for his 21st year as chief minister, a record which is surpassed only by Jyoti Basu in West Bengal.

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A changed scenario greets Apang this time with BJP, which he himself helped in the state, making its maiden entry into the Assembly in the polls.

Charismatic and the most popular figure in this north eastern state, 57-year old Apang has headed Congress, Arunachal Congress and BJP governments before returning with the Congress this time round.

His stint included a 19-year-long rule since 1980 spanning four terms when he shaped the destiny of this strategic state.

His election as the CLP leader had been unanimous but not without some acrimony as a section of the party, including PCC leaders, were against the 'aya ram gaya ram' politics indulged by him.

Born on January 10, 1947 at Karko village in Upper Siang district, Apang started his political career as a member of the Congress Pradesh Council between 1972-1975 after passing out from JM College at Pasighat.

Since then there was no looking back for this charismatic leader. He became the member of the first provisional Assembly between 1975-1978 and served as its agriculture minister in 1977.

Apang was elected to the first Legislative Assembly of the state in 1978 and was appointed its PWD and agriculture minister. He returned in the second Assembly in January 1980 and became the chief minister for the first time on Januray 18 that year.

Of the four terms as chief minister, he headed Congress governments for three terms and in his fourth term that of the Arunachal Congress, a regional party floated by him in 1996 following differences with the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao over his demand for deportation of the Chakma-Hajong refugees from the tribal state.

He was toppled by Mukut Mithi, his home minister and now the PCC chief, who formed Congress (M). Mithi later joined Congress and led the party to a thumping win in the Assembly election held at the end of the year.

This left Apang in political wilderness for four years. A political survivor, he managed to engineer a mass defection, toppled the Mithi government and formed the United Democratic Front government in August last year.

Apang who had successfully used the popularity of the BJP at the Centre joined the party along with his followers later. BJP in turn was able to form its maiden government in the north-east.

But the relation with the party was short-lived and he recommended the dissolution of the House about two months ahead of the end of its term on July 7, a day after the regulation down-sizing of the ministry, which had to be reduced to a mere 12 from total 33.

Apang along with his flock returned to the Congress fold in August this year in New Delhi, a step which was seen to be in sync with the practice in the North East of supporting and forming governments by the party in power at the Centre.

His return this time also saw the entry of his son Omak, a former central minister into the state Assembly.