Pema Khandu sworn in as Arunachal CM for a 3rd straight term, youngest CM of India

Union Ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda (also BJP’s National President), Kiren Rijiju, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Sikkim CM PS Tamang attend swearing in

Pema Khandu was today sworn in as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh for the third time. Governor KT Parnaik administered the oath of office to Khandu at the DK Convention Hall in Itanagar.

Among those present in the high profile swearing-in-ceremony were Union Ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang, Arunachal East Lok Sabha MP Tapir Gao party central observers- former Union Minister Ravishankar Prasad and BJP national general secretary-Tarun Chugh besides others.

Alomg with Khandu, his 12-member cabinet also took oath of office. The full list of coucil of minister in the Pema Khandu 3.0 cabinet is as follows-

-Chowna Mein
-Biyuram Wahge
-Nyato Dukam
-Chowna Mein
-Gabriel Denwang Wangsu
-Wangki Lowang
-Passang Dorjee Sona
-Mama Natung
-Ojing Tasing
-Dasanglu Pul
-Balo Raja
-Kento Jini

Significantly, among those have got a ministerial berth, 8 are new faces out of the total 12.

Who is Pema Khandu?

Pema Khandu’s political odyssey began amid a personal tragedy. The untimely demise of his father, former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, in a helicopter crash in 2011, thrust him under the spotlight.

Although he had joined the Congress in 2000 and held various positions, it was not until he won a by-election uncontested from his father’s constituency Mukto, that he truly began to carve out his political path.

Pema Khandu’s rise was swift. Serving initially as the tourism minister in NabamTuki’s Congress government, his leadership trajectory soared following a constitutional crisis in January 2016 that led to the imposition of president’s rule.

When the central rule was lifted, he became a minister in the Kalikho Pul-led government, supported by the BJP. However, this government was short-lived. The Supreme Court’s intervention restored NabamTuki, who soon resigned, and at just 37, Pema Khandu became the chief minister in July 2016.

Since then, Pema Khandu and his government have twice changed their party affiliation in quick succession – from the Congress to the People’s Party of Arunachal in September 2016 and then to the Bharatiya Janata Party 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.

Although internal discord led to his suspension from the PPA, Pema Khandu demonstrated resilience and adaptability by joining the BJP along with most PPA MLAs, securing his position and proving his majority on the floor of the house.

In 2019, Pema Khandu won from Mukto assembly seat for the second time and became the chief minister without any political hindrance.

Beyond politics, Pema Khandu is known for his cultural contributions. An ardent music lover, he captivates audiences with renditions of Kishore Kumar and Mohammad Rafi classics at gatherings.

His commitment to preserving cultural heritage is evident in his efforts to promote traditional songs through talent shows in Tawang and West Kameng districts.

Sports, another of Pema Khandu’s passions, sees him actively organizing events and support local athletes, nurturing talent across various disciplines including football, cricket, badminton, and volleyball.

A history graduate from Delhi’s Hindu College, Pema Khandu is from the Monpa tribe, which predominantly inhabits Tawang and parts of West Kameng.

In the run-up to the assembly polls held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections on April 19, he campaigned on a plank of corruption-free governance, emphasizing transparency and people-centric policies.

A Buddhist by faith, 45-year-old Pema Khandu has been re-elected unopposed from the Mukto seat in the border district of Tawang this time as well.

The BJP returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time in a row, as the party won 46 seats in the 60-member assembly.

In the Assembly elections, BJP won 46 of the 60 Assembly seats in Arunachal Pradesh, 5 more than in 2019. The party had won 10 seats unopposed. Its allies NPP won 5 and PPA won 2 seats. Nationalist Congress Party won 3 seats. Congress managed to win just one seat and one seat (Khonsa) was won by Independent candidate Wanglam Sawin.

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