Arunachal gets a BJP government
In fast-moving political developments, Arunachal Pradesh got a new ruling party, but Pema Khandu remains the Chief Minister as 33 People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) MLAs led by him joined the BJP on Saturday.
In Arunachal’s 60member Assembly, the BJP’s strength has now gone up to 47, while the PPA is left with only 10 MLAs.
The switch came a day after the PPA suspended Mr Khandu from the party for indiscipline, and moved to install a new CM, triggering a political crisis in a state that has seen three CMs in the last one year.
On Saturday, state BJP president Tapir Gao inducted Mr Khandu and 32 others into the party after consulting central leaders. Mr Khandu also paraded the MLAs before Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, making Arunachal the first state in the Northeast to have a full-fledged BJP government.
Lotus has finally bloomed in Arunachal. The people of the state will see a new dawn.” — Pema Khandu, CM
Arunachal Pradesh got a new ruling party, but Pema Khandu remains the Chief Minister as 33 People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) MLAs led by him joined the BJP on Saturday.
“Lotus has finally bloomed in Arunachal. The people of the state will see a new dawn of development in the New Year under the new government,” Mr Khandu said.
High political drama started unfolding late on Thursday night when PPA president Kahfa Bengia suspended Mr Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein and five other legislators from the party for alleged anti-party activities.
The PPA then said that minister Takam Pario, the state’s richest MLA, would be the next CM, and asked MLAs to stop attending Mr Khandu’s meetings.
However, equations changed rapidly when most PPA MLAs, who initially extended support to Mr Pario, later shifted their allegiance to Mr Khandu.
In December last year, Congress dissidents revolted against former CM Nabam Tuki. Kalikho Pul replaced him in February with help from 11 BJP MLAs. The Supreme Court restored the Tuki government, but he did not have enough support, and was out within days.
Later, Mr Pul insisted that he be reinstated, but he committed suicide in August. A month later, Mr Khandu walked out of the Congress and joined the PPA.