Arunachal CM Pema Khandu drops 3 ministers, 2 advisors

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has dropped three ministers from his council of ministers, a notification issued by the chief secretary said today.

On the recommendation of the chief minister, Governor V Shanmuganathan gave his assent to the removal of the ministers -- Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, Fisheries, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Rajesh Tacho, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Tanga Byaling and PHE, Water Supply and Disaster Management Minister Takam Pario -- on December 31 last.

The portfolios attached to the three of them would now be held by the chief minister, the notification issued by Chief Secretary Shakuntala Doley Gamlin said.

As per another notification issued by the chief secretary, the Governor today discontinued the services of Kameng Do and Tapang Taloh, Principal Advisor and Advisor to the Chief Minister respectively.

The chief minister also dropped five parliamentary secretaries, including Mutchu Mithi (PWD), Markio Tado (Food and Civil supplies), Tirong Aboh (Geology and Mining), Dikto Yekar (Art and Culture) and Nikh Kamin (Disaster Management).

All the dropped ministers, advisors and parliamentary secretaries, who are MLAs of the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA), had opposed the leadership of Khandu and projected Takam Pario as the next chief minister of the state.

But, in a dramatic move, Khandu along with 32 PPA MLAs joined the BJP on December 31 last to install the saffron party's government in the north-eastern state.