Itanagar: Pema Khandu will become the chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third term in a row, as he was e-elected as the Leader of the BJP Legislative Party today. Khandu won the election as he was elected unopposed.
Taking to X, Khandu accepted the responsibility of leading the BJP to another term of development oriented governance in sync with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Feeling so honoured to be elected unanimously as the Legislature Party leader of BJP. With utmost humility, I accept the responsibility of leading the BJP to another term of development oriented governance in sync with the vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.
"I am grateful to our fellow BJP MLAs for placing their faith in me. I also put on record my sincere thanks to our MPs, party leaders, and workers for working day in and day out in ensuring resounding win the polls. Now, let's work together harder to further speed up the pace of all-round growth in Arunachal Pradesh and realize the goal of inclusive Viksit Bharat by 2047," he added.
Pema Khandu brought BJP to power in bordering Arunachal
Pema Khandu, known for his passion for sports and music, has risen as a prominent figure in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly following a constitutional crisis in 2016 that resulted in the imposition of president's rule.
Khandu was also regarded as a strategist who, through political manoeuvring, brought the BJP to power for the first time in the northeastern state bordering China.
Pema Khandu's political career
Pema Khandu's political journey was marked by a personal tragedy when his father, former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, passed away in a helicopter crash in 2011. Following his father's footsteps, Pema Khandu joined the Congress in 2000 and was elected unopposed in a by-election in June 2011, representing his father's constituency Mukto.
Khandu has steadily ascended as a significant leader in Arunachal Pradesh, particularly gaining prominence after the constitutional crisis of 2016, which resulted in the imposition of President's rule. Khandu also earned recognition as an adept electoral strategist, notably contributing to the resurgence of the BJP in the northeastern state.
Initially serving as the Minister of Water Resources Development and Tourism in Chief Minister Nabam Tuki's government, Khandu's political trajectory accelerated during the constitutional crisis in January 2016. Following the imposition of the President's rule, he became a minister in the BJP-backed Kalikho Pul-led government. Despite its short-lived tenure, Khandu's leadership prowess was evident, culminating in his appointment as Chief Minister in July 2016 at the age of just 37.
Since assuming office, Khandu and his cabinet have undergone two party switches, transitioning from the Congress to the People's Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPA) in September 2016 and then to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in December of the same year. Just three months into his term, 43 ruling Congress MLAs defected to the PPA, an ally of the BJP. Despite the political flux, Khandu secured victory in the Mukto assembly seat in 2019, solidifying his position as Chief Minister without encountering significant political hurdles.
A history graduate from Delhi's Hindu College, Khandu belongs to the Monpa tribe, which mainly resides in Tawang and parts of West Kameng. 45-year-old Khandu, a Buddhist, has been elected unopposed from the Mukto seat in the border district of Tawang this time too.
Arunachal Prdaesh Assembly elections 2024
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) successfully won 46 out of 60 seats in the recently held 2024 Assembly Elections. The BJP managed to retain its majority in the 2024 state assembly, surpassing its previous record of 41 seats in 2019, according to the results declared by the Election Commission of India. The remaining 14 seats in the state were divided among the National People's Party (5 seats), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (3 seats), the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) (2 seats), and the Indian National Congress (1 seat).
Also Read: BJP secures big win in Arunachal Pradesh, clinches 46 of 60 seats
