Pema Khandu took oath as chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third term in a row on Thursday. Earlier, he was unanimously elected as the BJP Legislature Party Leader at a meeting on Wednesday. Senior leader Tarun Chugh and Ravi Sankar Prasad attended the meeting as BJP's central observers. Union minister Kiren Rijiju, who hails from the northeastern state, was also present there.
The 44-year-old was administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor Lt Gen (Retd) KT Parnaik at a ceremony held at the Dorjee Khandu Convention Centre, named after the CM’s late father, who died in a helicopter crash in May 2011 while holding the same officeas his son—and incident which hurtled the younger Khandu to the political spotlight.
Chowna Mein, who was the deputy CM in the previous Khandu-led governments since 2016, took oath for the same post one more time. Ten other cabinet ministers were also sworn in by the Governor. They are PD Sona, Mama Natung, Dasanglu Pul, Kento Jini, GD Wangsu, Biyuram Wahge, Nyato Dukam, Wangki Lowang, Balo Raja and Ojing Tasing.While Wahge is the BJP state unit chief, Pul is the wife of former chief minister Kalikho Pul. PD Sona was the Speaker in the previous assembly and Natung was the minister of youth affairs and sports in the previous cabinet.The new cabinet ministers are PD Sona, Mama Natung, Dasanglu Pul, Kento Jini, GD Wangsu, Biyuram Wahge, Nyato Dukam, Wangki Lowang, Balo Raja and Ojing Tasing.