Pema Khandu, poised to become Arunachal Pradesh's Chief Minister for a third consecutive term, will be sworn in on Thursday at 11 am following his unanimous election as the BJP legislature party leader. The oath-taking ceremony is expected to be attended by top BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Health Minister JP Nadda.
Khandu, a prominent figure within the BJP in the northeastern region, led his party to a resounding victory in the recently concluded assembly elections, securing 46 out of the 60 seats in the state legislative assembly.
The 44-year-old leader's political journey began in 2016, succeeding his father, the late Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in 2011. Pema Khandu entered politics by contesting and winning uncontested from his father's constituency, Mukto.
Initially elected as Chief Minister in 2016 after orchestrating a defection from the Congress to the People's Party of Arunachal, Khandu later rejoined the BJP in December of the same year. In 2019, he was re-elected from the Mukto constituency, consolidating his position as the state's leader.
The upcoming swearing-in ceremony not only reaffirms Khandu's political ascendancy but also underscores the BJP's dominance in Arunachal Pradesh under his leadership.