New BJP Government Likely To Assume Charge In Arunachal Pradesh Next Week

The newly-elected BJP-led Arunachal Pradesh government is expected to assume office on June 11 or June 12, according to sources. Pema Khandu is anticipated to continue as Chief Minister for a third consecutive term.

BJP sources indicated that the newly-elected party MLAs are likely to convene on Sunday or Monday to elect Khandu as the legislative party leader. This will enable him to stake a claim to form the government before Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K.T. Parnaik.

Following the BJP’s significant victory in the June 2 Assembly polls, Khandu resigned from his position as Chief Minister. The Governor accepted his resignation and requested that he continue in office until the new government is formed.

The BJP secured 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly, five more than in the 2019 elections. Notably, 10 of these seats, including Khandu’s, were won uncontested before the polls.

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

The NCP and the PPA have pledged their support to the BJP government, while the NPP has yet to decide on its stance. The NPP, with seven MLAs, supports the BJP-led government in Manipur. In Meghalaya, the BJP is a partner in the government led by Chief Minister Sangma with two legislators.

Khandu, a leader of the Monpa community, first became Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh in 2016 after he, along with several MLAs, left the Congress for the People’s Party of Arunachal before joining the BJP. The BJP achieved its first electoral victory in Arunachal Pradesh in the 2019 Assembly polls.