Barely two months after Uttarakhand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union Government suffered yet another setback, this time in Arunachal Pradesh. In a stunning indictment of the Centre and what the opposition says is misadventure with Article 356 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court unanimously revoked Governor’s rule in the northeastern state.

Quashing all the decisions taken by Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa, a five-member bench of the apex court restored the status quo as of December 15, 2015, paving the way for the return of the Congress government led by Nabam Tuki. While the verdict comes as a shot in the arm for the Congress, it is a major embarrassment for the BJP, which has been battling allegations of interference in the affairs of states.

Extolling the virtues of Constitutional restraint and discipline, Justice Dipak Misra said, “It would be an anathema to the concept of constitutional adjudication, if the Speaker is allowed to initiate proceeding under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution after intention to remove him from his office is moved.”

Misra added, “Constitutional restraint and discipline are revealed from the words of the Constitution and the high constitutional functionary should remain embedded to the same with humility, because it is humility that forms the ‘foundation of regard’. It is the ultimate constitutional virtue.”

Welcoming the verdict, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said, “Those who had trampled upon constitutional propriety and democratic norms have been defeated today.” Party vice president Rahul Gandhi trained his guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “Thank you Supreme Court for explaining to the Prime Minister what democracy is.”

Demanding an apology from Union ministers involved in the decision as well as the resignation of Governor Rajkhowa, Kapil Sibal said, “BJP’s aim is Congress-mukt Bharat, their modus operandi is to topple Cong-ruled elected government… I am deeply disturbed by their machinations.”

Meanwhile, BJP refused to view the apex court’s verdict as a setback. “The fact that the Nabam Tuki government is in minority and the governor had received complaints about the way Nabam Tuki misbehaved with MLAs was the very reason a President’s rule was recommended,” said party spokesperson Sudhanshu Mittal.

While Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has reportedly called for a high-level meeting, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said, “The crisis was due to the internal differences within the Congress in the state. A group within the Congress fell out with the party leadership. The BJP has nothing to do with what happened.”

Predictably, Arvind Kejriwal made it about the Delhi-Centre tussle while also taking a dig at Modi. Calling the SC verdict “yet another tight slap on dictatorial Modi govt (sic)”, the Delhi Chief Minister said, “After the Supreme Court judgements in Uttarkhand and now Arunachal Pradesh, I hope the Modi government will learn a lesson and respect the country’s Constitution, democracy and governments elected by the people.”