Arunachal Pradesh crisis: Congress leaders meet President

"We have submitted a memorandum to the President," Congress leaders Kapil Sibal told media after meeting the President.

"We have urged him to look into the matter," he said.

Azad said the BJP is destroying democracy.

"We will continue to fight against this government," Azad said.

Arunachal Pradesh has been placed under President's Rule after it was recommended by the cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, reports said.

President Pranab Mukherjee reportedly signed the order on Sunday night. The development takes place at a time when seniormost Supreme Court judges are hearing petitions linked to the political crisis in the noerheastern state.

The Congress, which was on power in Arunachal Pradesh, vowed on Sunday to fight such a move "tooth and nail". Chief Minister Nabam Tuki said: "This is really shocking. The Centre did not consult the state government before taking such a harsh decision."

"They are destabilizing a border state. This is political intolerance and Modi is the fountainhead of that intolerance," said former union minister Kapil Sibal.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also criticised the Centre's recommendation in tweets.

"Union Cab recommending Prez rule in Arunachal shocking. Murder of Consti on Rep D eve. BJP lost elections.Now acquiring power thro back door," Kejriwal said.

In his tweet, Nitish Kumar said, " Strongly condemn Centre's move to impose Prez rule in Arunachal Pradesh, while the matter is still pending before SC's Constitutional Bench."

Trouble began for the Congress in Arunachal Pradesh when as many as 21 out of its 47 MLAs rebelled. The BJP has 11 MLAs in the 60-member House.

While the Congress moved a motion demanding removal of the Deputy Speaker, the BJP sought the Speaker’s removal. The Governor intervened and advanced a session of the assembly. He also sent a letter directing that the first item on the agenda of the session should be a resolution for removal of the Speaker.

He directed that the Deputy Speaker, who is disgruntled with the Congress, “shall preside over the House from the first moment of the first sitting of the House in accordance with provisions in article 181(1) of the Constitution”.

The Governor’s message further instructed that the procedures related to removal of the Speaker “shall be completed at the first sitting of the session itself” and that “until the session is prorogued, no presiding officer shall alter the party composition in the House.”

The Gauhati High Court first put on hold the decisions taken at the rebel "session". After the high court dismissed the petition, the Speaker moved the Supreme Court, which has referred the case to a Constitutional bench.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has alleged that Governor Rajkhowa acted as a "BJP agent" and helped the rebel Congress lawmakers by calling an assembly session ahead of time.