Itanagar: The imbroglio over the formation of a new government in Arunachal Pradesh continued for the third day on July 30.

Beleaguered Chief Minister Mukut Mithi, whose government was reduced to a minority following a split among the legislators, has been asked to prove his majority in the state Assembly by August 2.

The ruling Congress which had 59 members in the 60-member House was reduced to a minority after 42 of its legislators walked away to lend support to former Chief Minister Gegong Apang, Mithi's one time mentor and bete noire.

To avoid horse-trading by rival camps, all the 42 supporters of Apang, who has staked claim to form a new government, were lodged in a hotel in Itanagar.

No one, including the party workers and family members, were allowed to visit the legislators.

"We will not let them go...we will not let anyone go till the government is formed," said a worker of Apang's newly formed United Democratic Front (UDF).

Apang, who was Chief Minister of the state for 19 years, quit the Congress in 1996 to form the Arunachal Congress. After the 1999 elections, Mithi was sworn in as Chief Minister after the Congress secured an overwhelming majority, winning 59 of the 60 seats in the state Assembly. Apang was the only non- Congress legislator in the house.

A number of insurgent outfits are active in Arunachal Pradesh that borders China. Beijing has refused to recognise the state as an integral part of India.

ANI