Pema Khandu to become Arunachal CM for third straight term

ITANAGAR — Pema Khandu will become the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third term in a row, after he was unanimously elected as the BJP Legislature Party Leader at a meeting here on Wednesday, senior leader Tarun Chugh said.

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

Later in the evening, Khandu accompanied by Chugh and several legislators called Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K T Parnaik at Raj Bhawan here and staked claim to form the government.

The governor invited Khandu and his ministers for swearing in.

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

Appreciating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party’s President J P Nadda, Khandu thanked the people of the state for reposing 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 will ensure that developmental activities will be initiated in all the districts,” Khandu said.

Khandu along with his new council of ministers will take oath and secrecy of office at Dorjee Khandu Convention Hall here on Thursday, which is likely to be attended by union Home Minister Amit Shah and Nadda along with several chief ministers of northeastern states, among others.

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