Takam Pario likely to be next Arunachal CM: PPA

People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) President Kafia Bengia on Friday said that Takam Pario is most likely to be the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh.

"Pario is likely to be the CM. It will be decided today (Friday) in the evening when all the PPA legislators meet. We are just waiting for a few more legislators to come and then we will start the meeting," Bengia told IANS here.

Pario, who is the richest MLA here, is also the brother of former Congress MP Takam Sanjoy, who is another political heavyweight in the state.

The PPA in a sudden move on Thursday night removed incumbent Pema Khandu and six others for alleged anti-party activities.

Asked what were the charges against these party leaders, Bengia said: "Being members of PPA -- which itself is an ally of the BJP -- all these suspended legislators were trying to join the BJP.

"At the same time they are trying to take other MLAs and carry out mass defection."

"These MLAs have a business mindset; that is the reason they are turning the state politics into a laughing stock for the country," Bengia told IANS.

The PPA is a constituent of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led North East Democratic Alliance.

Khandu had taken over as the Chief Minister from Nabam Tuki in July. However, on September 16, he along with 42 other Congress MLAs defected to the PPA.

--IANS

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