Arunachal guv invites Pema Khandu to form govt

Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brig (Retd) B D Mishra on Monday invited BJP leader and chief minister-designate Pema Khandu to form the next government in the state, sources in the party said.

Khandu, who steered his party to a landslide victory in the Assembly polls and has been elected as the BJP's legislature party leader, and his council of ministers will be administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Raj Bhavan here on May 29, they said.

Accompanied by outgoing Union Health Minister J P Nadda among others, Khandu handed Mishra a letter in the morning staking a claim to form government.

On Sunday, he had submitted their resignations to Mishra requesting him to dissolve the sixth Legislative Assembly in the state.

The governor accepted the resignation and requested him and his council of ministers to continue until a new government is sworn in.

Talking to reporters at the Raj Bhavan here, Nadda said the party had appointed him as the 'observer' to oversee the process of electing the BJP legislature party leader.

"Khandu was elected the leader of the House by an unanimous decision by 41 party legislators," he added.

The chief minister-designate thanked the people of state for reposing faith in the BJP.

"For the first time in the state's political history, a full-fledged BJP government will be formed. I thank people for their support that helped the lotus bloom in the state.

"The real challenge for my government begins now as people have lots of expectation from the new government," he said in response to media query.

The BJP, which won seven seats in the 2014 Assembly elections, increased its tally to 41 this time, while the opposition Congress managed to secure four seats against 42 it had won in 2014.

The Janata Dal United (JDU), which entered into the state's political scene for the first time, bagged seven seats and another new entrant, the National Peoples' Party (NPP), won five.

The lone regional outfit - the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) - which had won five seats in 2014, could secure only one seat, while two independents also won.