Pema Khandu is the third Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh in 10 months.
The People's Party of Arunachal has accused the BJP of hijacking its legislators to form a government in the North Eastern state after Chief Minister Pema Khandu, along with 32 MLAs, switched parties. The PPA has further expressed its displeasure with the BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance and its convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma of being a silent spectator during the crisis.
"The NEDA convenor, instead of coming to the state to resolve the ongoing crisis, went to Kenya. He should have deputed somebody to sort out the differences between the MLAs of the party," said PPA chief Kahfa Bengia at a press conference in Itanagar.
"Most of the MLAs treat PPA as a 'transit campt'. We will not allow it anymore. We will try to strengthen the lone regional party of the state and will come out strong in the 2019 elections," Mr Bengia added, claiming that the BJP had hatched a "conspiracy" of usurping the PPA-led NEDA government in the state and installing a full-fledged BJP government.
Mr Bengia also said that the BJP had also forced the PPA candidate for the Hayuliang Assembly bypoll to contest on its ticket. He further said that the party had enough legal aspects to teach lessons to those who had been maintaining an equal relationship with the PPA as well as the BJP, according to PTI. The party also expressed a discomfort with the NEDA.
"The PPA is not comfortable with NEDA in the state and we are going to discuss the issue with other constituent members of the alliance soon," said senior PPA leader Kamen Ringu.
The PPA, yesterday, had decided to replace Pema Khandu with Takam Pario as the state's Chief Minister. However, most of the PPA MLAs - who had initially supported Mr Pario - shifted their allegiance to Mr Khandu.
"Lotus has finally bloomed in Arunachal," Mr Khandu said, soon after joining the BJP.
(With inputs from PTI)