Arunachal Pradesh: Pema Khunda sworn in as Chief Minister

After being elected leader of Congress in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly yesterday, Pema Khunda on 17 July was sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, bringing back the rebel leaders into the fray.

Chowna Mey took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.

The Congress succeeded in roping the rebels back to the party fold by forcing Nabam Tuki to step down as the chief minister.

The much anticipated floor test in Arunachal Pradesh Assembly was cancelled after Tuki resigned as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

Khandu, the son of former chief minister Dorjee Khandu, was elected as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.

Khandu was part of a group of 30 party legislators, who had rebelled against Tuki's leadership.

Tuki, on his part, said that he sacrificed all his powers in a bid to strengthen the grand old party.

Tuki resigned owing to internal disputes in the party over his leadership.

Rejecting Tuki's request to provide some more time to hold the floor test to prove his majority, Governor Tathagata Roy yesterday said the floor test would go ahead as scheduled.

With all its 45 lawmakers back in the fold, the Congress will have a majority yet again in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly.

The Supreme Court, in a historic verdict on Wednesday, reinstated Tuki-led Congress Government and quashed the actions of the Governor post December 15 last year.

In December last, the Congress rebels, backed by the BJP, staged a coup and ousted Tuki as the chief minister.

--ANI