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ITANAGAR — Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who on Thursday took oath as the CM of the country's eastern-most frontier state for the third consecutive term, said that his government's main focus would be to execute the promises made in the BJP's election manifesto for the April 19 Assembly polls.
Khandu said the BJP returned to power in the state for the third time in a row due to the development works and pro-people welfare schemes undertaken by the state government and the Centre in the northeast region.
"My government is committed to fulfil all the promises made by the BJP before the Assembly elections. We would govern the state in the next five years based on the electoral promises for the development of the state and welfare of the people," the Chief Minister told the media.
He said that in the first Cabinet meeting, to be held soon, would finalise a roadmap of development of the state for the first 100 days of the government.
Noting that the state has 26 major tribes and more than 100 sub-tribes and these showcased the state's unique nature of unity in diversity, Khandu said that his government would work for the development and welfare of all aiming to make the state a developed one.
The Chief Minister urged the people to cooperate with the government as part of the "Team Arunachal" to accelerate the development process in a time-bound manner.
Saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken special initiatives for the northeastern region, including Arunachal Pradesh, he asserted: "I hope that in the ensuing years, Arunachal Pradesh would witness a substantial spurt in developmental activities."
"In the new council of ministry, a woman was inducted to send a message that women are also ready to fight the next assembly polls in a bigger way in 2029 polls," Khandu said.
Earlier on Thursday, Governor Lt-Gen (Retd), K.T. Parnaik administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein and 10 other Cabinet Ministers at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre in Itanagar.
The other ministers who took oath on Thursday include Biyuram Wahge, Nyato Dukam, Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Wangki Lowang, Pasang Dorjee Sona, Mama Natung, Dasanglu Pul, Balo Raja, Kento Jini and Ojing Tasing
Biyuram Wahge is the state BJP President while Dasanglu Pul is the lone woman minister in the 12-member Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister Khandu.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju - who is from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, his Sikkim counterpart Prem Singh Tamang, BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh, among others were present in the oath-taking ceremony.
Son of former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, Monpa community leader Pema Khandu (45) first became the Chief Minister in 2016 after he, along with several MLAs, left the Congress for the People's Party of Arunachal before joining the BJP.
The BJP registered its first electoral victory in Arunachal Pradesh in the 2019 Assembly elections.
In the 2024 Assembly polls, results of which were declared on June 2, the BJP secured 46 seats -- five more than its 2019 tally -- in the 60-member Arunachal Assembly.