Pema Khandu, reaffirmed as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party on Wednesday, was sworn in for his third consecutive term as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday. The oath-taking ceremony, held at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre in Itanagar, was administered by Governor Lt-Gen (Retd) KT Parnaik.
In addition to Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, twelve Cabinet Ministers also took their oaths. Among them were Biyuram Wahge, Nyato Dukam, Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Wangki Lowang, Pasang Dorjee Sona, Mama Natung, Dasanglu Pul, Balo Raja, Kento Jini, and Ojing Tasing. Notably, Biyuram Wahge serves as the state BJP President, while Dasanglu Pul is the sole woman minister in the 12-member Council of Ministers led by Chief Minister Khandu.
The oath-taking ceremony was attended by prominent figures including BJP President and Union Health Minister JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) BL Santosh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, and other dignitaries.
Earlier, Pema Khandu was re-elected as the Legislature Party leader in a meeting on Wednesday, attended by former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, and party’s Arunachal incharge Ashok Singhal. The BJP's electoral success in Arunachal Pradesh, securing 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly, marked an increase from their previous tally of 41 seats in 2019. Ten seats, including Khandu's, were won uncontested ahead of the polls.
Support for the BJP government has been consolidated with alliances from the National People’s Party (NPP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA). Pema Khandu, son of former Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu and a prominent leader of the Monpa community, first assumed office as Chief Minister in 2016 after defecting from the Congress to the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) before joining the BJP.
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