Months after the Supreme Court reinstated the Congress government in Arunachal Pradesh, the party is set to lose the state once again. At least 44 MLAs of the Congress have resigned from the party to join the regional People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA).

The Indian Express had first reported the development earlier today. Sources had told this newspaper that Chief Minister Pema Khandu will lead two-thirds of party MLAs to the PPA. There have been speculations that Khandu has not been able to function properly as the state is stretched for resources.

Once the Congress MLAs join PPA, it is set to be a part of the North east Democratic Alliance (NEDA), floated by BJP chief Amit Shah in May, 2016. It is currently run by Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP minister in Assam.

Peoples Party of Arunachal, a regional political party, was founded in 1979. Late Chief minister Kalikho Pul, a Congress minister in the Nabam Tuki cabinet, had joined the same PPA in February 2016 along with 24 Congressmen. That Khandu is joining the PPA and not the BJP suggests that the national party wants to keep defecting Congress MLAs at safe distance after the Supreme Court verdict which severely criticised Central government’s political actions terming it “unconstitutional.”