ITANAGAR, Oct 16 - In a major Cabinet reshuffle, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki today sacked five �absentee� and �non-performing� Ministers including his once close friend Chowna Mein from his 17-month-old Ministry, and inducted three new faces instead.
Besides Agriculture & Horticulture Minister Mein, the four others who were shown the door were Social Welfare, Women & Child Development Minister Wanglin Lowangdong, Panchayati Raj & Cooperation Minister Kumar Waii, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Kamlung Mossang and Civil Aviation Minister Thangwang Wangham.
The three newly-inducted Ministers � Jomde Kena, MLA from Likabali along Assam-Arunachal boundary in West Siang district, Phurpa Tsering (Dirang in West Kameng) and first-timer Tirong Aboh from Khonsa West in insurgency-infested eastern Arunachal district of Tirap � were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor JP Rajkhowa in the presence of CM Tuki in a brief ceremony held at the Raj Bhawan here this evening.
When queried about his decision, the Chief Minister, before giving a direct reply, told reporters, �You people know better�reason has already been given. �They (the sacked Ministers, now camping in the national capital) were not attending to their duties for the last one month. They have lost the confidence of the people as well as the leader,� Tuki said.
