New BJP govt likely to assume charge in Arunachal next week

way2barak, June 6 : The newly-elected BJP-led Arunachal Pradesh government is likely to assume office on June 11 or June 12, sources said on Thursday, adding that Pema Khandu is likely to continue as the Chief Minister for the third straight term.

BJP sources said the newly-elected party MLAs are likely to meet on Sunday or Monday to elect Khandu as the legislative party leader before he stakes claim to form the government before Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K.T. Parnaik.

Soon after the BJP retained power for the third consecutive term with a thumping majority in the Assembly polls on June 2, Khandu tendered his resignation from the CM’s chair.

Accepting his resignation, the Governor requested him to continue in office until the new government was formed.

The BJP on its own secured 46 seats — five more than the last elections (2019) — in the 60-member Assembly for which elections were held on April 19.

Of the 46 seats bagged by the BJP, 10, including that of CM Khandu, were won uncontested before the polls.

The National People’s Party (NPP) headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma won five seats, followed by the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with three seats, People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) with two seats, three Independents, and the Congress winning one seat.

The NCP and the PPA have already announced their support to the BJP government, while the NPP is yet to decide whether to support the ruling party.

The NPP with seven MLAs is supporting the BJP-led government in Manipur, while with two legislators, the BJP is a partner in the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government headed by Chief Minister Sangma.

Monpa community leader Khandu (45) became the Chief Minister of Arunachal in 2016 after he, along with several MLAs, left the Congress for the People’s Party of Arunachal before joining the BJP.

In Arunachal, the BJP registered its first electoral victory in the Assembly polls in 2019.