BJP to support only Pema Khandu
Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh PHED Minister Takam Pario is likely to be the next chief minister of the state after People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) suspended incumbent Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein along with five other MLAs for alleged anti-party activities.
Though former deputy chief minister Kameng Dolo, present Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Tanga Byaling and Pario were the front runners for the coveted post, but the consensus decision was to name Pario as CM, PPA President Kahfa Bengia said.
“The formal announcement will be made after the end of the meeting of PPA legislators,” Bengia said, adding all the formalities would be completed on Friday. The PPA has 43 MLAs in the house of 60, while BJP has 12 legislators including an associate member, Congress has three and one independent legislator.
When asked on the possibility of swearing in of the new chief minister, Bengia said that the party would approach the Governor by Friday evening.
In a late night development in this politically fragile state on Thursday, the party suspended Khandu, Mein along with MLAs Jambey Tashi (Lumla), Passang Dorjee Sona (Mechuka), Chow Tewa Mein (Chowkham), Zingnu Namchom (Namsai) and Kamlung Mossang (Miao) from the primary membership of the party temporarily with immediate effect.
Bengia alleged that Khandu in his five-month tenure never visited the PPA office nor initiated any move for membership drive to strengthen the party.
“He (Khandu) was more inclined towards BJP instead of working for the interest of the party and even forced several PPA leaders to join BJP,” Bengia added.
Khandu became chief minister in July this year after exiting from the Congress along with 42 other MLAs to join the PPA in September. The PPA is the alliance partner of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) led by BJP.
Meanwhile, the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh on Friday made it clear that it will “only” support Pema Khandu government in the state and “will never” support any other chief minister. The party decision came in the backdrop of the unprecedented political development where Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA) temporarily suspended Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his deputy Chowna Mein and other five MLAs for alleged anti-party activities.
“BJP, being a coalition partner of the PPA in the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) government in the state, was not discussed on the issue before announcing the decision which could have been sorted out,” BJP legislature party leader Tamiyo Taga told a press conference here.
“The sudden decision of the PPA is not acceptable to us as they have never discussed with us. In the interest of development of the state and its people, BJP cannot be a party to change government in every six months,” Taga said.
Taga, who is also the Textile and Handicraft Minister, further said that the party has decided to support Khandu in the floor of the assembly if the Governor issues directives for a floor test. Claiming of a “visible split” among the PPA legislators, Taga said that he had seen 26 PPA MLAs with Khandu when he visited the chief minister’s residence.
Giving a genesis of the political development since last year which witnessed three chief ministers so far, Taga said, “Pema Khandu was acceptable to us and the people of the state and so our central leadership allowed us to join the government.”
Responding to allegations of PPA president Kahfa Bengia that Khandu was more inclined to BJP than PPA, Taga said that “all the PPA legislators were inclined towards BJP”. (PTI)