HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Jun 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.
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Eleven other MLAs were also sworn in as ministers at the function held in the 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, the widow of former CM Kalikho Pul.
While Dasanglu Pul is the lone woman minister, the new cabinet has eight fresh faces.
The others inducted into the cabinet include Palin MLA Balo Raja, Kanubari’s Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Panging legislator Ojing Tashing, Kento Jini of Aalo East and Nyato Dukam, who won the Taliha seat unopposed.
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.
Meanwhile, taking to the micro-blogging site X, the Assam chief minister congratulated Khandu for being sworn in as the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh for a third consecutive term.
Sarma, who is the convenor of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), attended the swearing-in ceremony in Itanagar.
“Many congratulations to Shri @PemaKhanduBJP ji and Shri @ChownaMeinBJP ji on taking oath as the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh and to all their colleagues in the Council of Ministers,” Sarma posted on X.
He said the emphatic victory of BJP in Arunachal Pradesh showed the continued trust people have in the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and the “policies of our double engine government”.
“I am confident that the new government will continue with its pro-people policies and herald fast paced growth in the state,” Sarma added. (With inputs from PTI)
