BJP’s Khandu sworn in as Arunachal CM
Itanagar, June 13
BJP leader Pema Khandu took oath as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third consecutive term on Thursday. Khandu, who was re-elected unopposed from the Mukto constituency in the border district of Tawang, was sworn in by Governor KT Parnaik in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, among others.
3rd straight term
- BJP leader Pema Khandu took oath as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third consecutive term
- The saffron party returned to power in the state, winning 46 of 60 Assembly seats
Eleven other MLAs were also sworn in as ministers at the function held at Dorjee Khandu State Convention Centre. Among them were Deputy CM Chowna Mein, former Assembly Speaker PD Sona, BJP state president Biyuram Wahge, and Dasanglu Pul, widow of former CM Kalikho Pul.
While Dasanglu Pul is the lone woman minister, the new cabinet has eight fresh faces. The portfolios would be allocated later in the day, following which the first Cabinet meeting of the new government would be held, officials said. The BJP returned to power in this northeastern state for the third time in a row, winning 46 seats including, ten unopposed, in the 60-member Assembly. Soon after swearing-in, Khandu said his government’s focus would be to fulfil the promises made in the BJP’s election manifesto. The BJP returned to power in the state due to the development works undertaken by the Centre in the Northeast. “We are committed to fulfiling all promises. We will run the government in the next five years based on the electoral promises for the welfare and development of the people,” he said. The first cabinet meeting would chalk out a developmental roadmap for the first 100 days of the government, he added.
Maintaining that Arunachal Pradesh with 26 major tribes and more than 100 sub-tribes was unique in nature, Khandu said the new government would work for the welfare of all and make efforts to make it a developed state. He appealed to the people “to join hands” with the government as part of its team to speed up the development process.
