Ending speculation about expansion of the Cabinet in Arunachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday inducted ten Ministers into his Cabinet that includes former Speaker of the Assembly Nabam Rebia.
Both the former Chief Ministers, Nabam Tuki and Kalikho Pul, however, did not figure in the list of Cabinet Ministers. The newly-inducted Ministers were given oath of office and secrecy by Governor Tathagata Roy at a function held at Raj Bhavan in Itanagar on Wednesday.
The ten Ministers inducted into the Cabinet include, Tanga Byaling, Rajesh Tacho, Nabam Rebia, Honchun Ngandam, Wangki lowang, Kamlung Mossang, Tapang Taloh, Kumar Waii, Takam Pario and Jomde Kena.
Chief Minister Shri Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Chowna Mein, Speaker of State legislative Assembly Er Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, lok Sabha members Shri Ninong Ering, former Chief Minister Shri Nabam Tuki, members of State legislative Assembly, senior bureaucrats and public were present on the occasion.
It may be mentioned here that Pema Khandu, son of former State CM late Dorjee Khandu, became the State’s CM almost dramatically after the All India Congress Committee (AICC) chose Khandu as the leader of the Congress legislature Party (ClP), thus, replacing former CM Nabam Tuki.
The development took place after a Supreme Court verdict reinstated the CM Nabam Tuki led Congress Government in the State. However, the ClP elected Pema Khandu as its leader in place of Nabam Tuki just ahead of Tuki’s floor test in the House.
The dissident faction of the Congress led by Kalikho Pul also backed Khandu as the Chief Minister and returned to Congress fold. On July 17, Khandu was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the State followed by Chowna Mein as his deputy and he proved his majority in the House on July 20.