Pema Khandu set to become Arunachal CM for third straight term

Pema Khandu is set to become the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third straight term.

Khandu, along with his new council of ministers, will take oath and secrecy of office at Dorjee Khandu Convention Hall in Itanagar on Thursday (June 13).

The event is likely to be attended by union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda along with several chief ministers of northeastern states, among others.

Unanimously elected

Khandu was unanimously elected the BJP Legislature Party Leader at a meeting in Itanagar on Wednesday (June 12), news agency PTI reported, quoting senior leader Tarun Chugh.

Chugh and Ravi Sankar Prasad attended the meeting as BJP’s central observers. Union minister Kiren Rijiju, who is also from the northeastern state, was also present.

“State BJP president Biyuram Wahge proposed the name of Khandu as the chief minister, which was supported by all the 46 party MLAs,” Chugh told reporters at Raj Bhawan.

Later in the evening, Khandu, accompanied by Chugh and several legislators, called Governor Lt Gen (Retd) KT Parnaik at Raj Bhawan and staked claim to form the government. The governor invited Khandu and his ministers for swearing in.

Khandu thanks party, voters

Appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nadda, Khandu thanked the people of the state for reposing their faith in the BJP and voting it to power for the third consecutive term.

Khandu also appreciated the party leadership and the workers for their hard work to ensure victory of the party candidates in the April 19 Assembly elections, including the two Lok Sabha MPs.

“I assured the people of the state that the new government, as ‘Team Arunachal’, will keep all the commitments enlisted in the election manifesto and ensure that developmental activities will be initiated in all the districts,” Khandu said.

The BJP returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time in a row, winning 46 seats in the 60-member assembly.

(With agency inputs)