Kalikho Pul

Kalikho Pul (20 July 1969 – 9 August 2016) was an Indian politician and former Chief Minister of the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh for a brief time in 2016. He was elected five times from the Hayuliang Vidhan Sabha constituency representing the Indian National Congress. With the support of a few elected members of Congress and the opposing Bharatiya Janata Party, he took Chief Ministership of Arunachal Pradesh. However, the Supreme Court of India ruled against this appointment on various grounds. On 9 August 2016, Pul allegedly committed suicide by hanging at his official residence in Itanagar; Pul's supporters protested in Itanagar demanding an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Early life Pul was born on 20 July 1969 in the Walla village of Hawai, Anjaw district and belonged to the Kaman Mishmi ethnic group.

Pul was 13 months old when his mother Koranlu died. His father Tailum died when he was around six years old after which he lived with his aunt's family and helped support the family by collecting firewood. He left school and when he was 10 years old joined a carpentry course at the Hawai Craft Centre where he earned per day as stipend. He also worked as a tutor there on temporary basis. He joined a night school on the advice of Mr. Ram Naresh Prasad Sinha, the Headmaster of Hawai Middle School in the mid eighties. Impressed by Mr. Pul's progress, Mr Sinha took steps regarding his direct admission in the 6th standard. In that context, he prepared him for a welcome speech at a function held at the school where the education minister Khapriso Krong and Lohit Deputy Commissioner D S Negi were to be present. As Kalikho was able to impress the audience with his speech and a patriotic song, Mr. Sinha admitted Pul in Hawai Middle School besides offering him a place in the school hostel. As there was no official scholarship for poor students, the headmaster, with support from the Circle Officer of Hawai; was able to manage the job of watchman for Kalikho at the Circle Office, Hawai which paid him monthly. In his final year of school, he was nominated as the student representative with the title of General Secretary. Pul later earned a living by opening a paan shop, making bamboo fences and thatched houses, and building concrete structures. Later, he graduated in economics (part of Humanities stream) from Indira Gandhi College, Tezu

In an interview Pul mentioned that he did not believe in God, stating; "I don’t believe in God because had He been there, I wouldn't have suffered." He contested and won his first election in the year 1995 when he was elected as MLA from Hayuliang constituency and was made the Minister of State for Finance in the Mukut Mithi government. He was again Finance Minister until November 2011. During his tenure as Health & Family Welfare Minister he also complained that his "attempts to improve the state's health indicators were often met with roadblocks when it came to acquiring funds to meet staff and medicinal shortages". This led to differences with other cabinet ministers and he was removed from the cabinet in December 2014. In April 2015 he was expelled from the party for six years for alleged anti-party activities. Pul called Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee's move foul as he was not even served a show cause notice and said that he was "punished for doing his job".

Kalikho Pul was also the executive member of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee for 13 years and Pradesh Election Committee member for 7 years. Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on 19 February 2016, along with other rebel politicians of Congress. His government was supported by the opposing Bharatiya Janata Party. While Pul was Chief Minister, his official residence was open to poor villagers to get medical help. Nabam Tuki took over after Pul but he was not accepted by a majority of the Congress MLAs. Pul and the dissident MLAs came back to the Congress fold and supported Pema Khandu as the Chief Minister.

Death Pul died on 9 August 2016 at the age of 47. His body was discovered that morning hanging from the ceiling fan in the room where he practiced yoga. Other evidence was sealed by the police to be opened in front of the appointed magistrate. According to Indo-Asian News Service, a senior police official confirmed that a suicide note was found but did not divulge its contents. However, Asian News International reported the Home Ministry's confirmation that there was no suicide note.

Pul's supporters assembled outside his residence and protested, demanding an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Pul's death. They also vandalized the nearby residences of ministers. The supporters burned the plywood coffin brought for Pul stating that it was "not worthy of a popular CM like Pul." Pul's wife, Dangwimsai Pul appealed to Supreme Court in February 2017 demanding an FIR to be registered and a CBI investigation be done in the case. The suicide note contains the names of two Supreme Court judges who were part of the bench that dismissed Pul's government. that was made public by , alleges that Pul was approached by the son of Justice Khehar Singh for a bribe of 49 crores to get the decision in his favour. The widow of Pul approached the Vice President of India for an independent probe by a Special Investigation Team as the charges are against Supreme Court judges, including the former Chief Justice of India, Justice Khehar Singh.