Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday expanded his 16-day-old ministry by inducting ten Cabinet ministers.
Governor Tathagata Roy administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed ministers during the swearing-in-ceremony organised at the Raj Bhavan.
The newly inducted ministers are Tanga Byaling, Rajesh Tacho, Nabam Rebia, Honchun Ngandam, Wangki Lowang, Kamlung Mossang, Tapang Taloh, Kumar Waii, Takam Pario and Jomde Kena.
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Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, Lok Sabha MP Ninong Ering, former chief minister Nabam Tuki, party MLAs, senior bureaucrats and police officials were present on the occasion.
On July 17 last, Khandu was sworn in as the ninth Chief Minister of the state along with Chowna Mein as the deputy chief minister after months of political instability in the state.
The swearing in of the Cabinet ministers could not be conducted immediately as the Governor, who is also in charge of Tripura, was out of the state.
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In a dramatic turnaround in the land-locked state on July 16 , Congress had replaced Nabam Tuki who was reinstated as Arunacahal Pradesh chief minister after the Supreme Court judgement of July 13 last, with Khandu as the new CLP leader. Khandu staked claim to power on the basis of support of 45 party MLAs along with two Independents.
In later developments, Khaliko Pul, rebel-turned chief minister, who was unseated by the Supreme Court, returned to the party fold with 30 dissident MLAs.
Hours ahead of a scheduled floor test in the state Assembly on July 16, which Tuki was directed by the Governor to undertake, the Congress Legislature Party met and elected Khandu, son of late chief minister Dorjee Khandu, as its new leader.
Tuki proposed the name of Khandu while Chowna Mein seconded it, which was unanimously accepted by 44 MLAs who were present.
In the 60-member House with an effective strength of 58, Congress now claims the support of 47 MLAs, including two Independents.