Heard on the grapevine: Rijiju may replace Khandu as Arunachal CM

According to rumours that surfaced in the corridors of power of Itanagar, Khandu – who joined the BJP on December 31 by deserting the Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA) – may have to make way for an old saffron face.

Published on: Jan 6, 2017, 14:20:45 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Political changes in Arunachal Pradesh are as unpredictable as the earthquakes that frequently strike India’s northeast region.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju’s name is doing the rounds as the next likely chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh. State BJP chief Tapir Gao is also said to be in the race. (AP file)

Days after chief minister Pema Khandu joined the BJP with 32 MLAs to present the saffron party with its first full-fledged government in the region, speculations are rife that he may be replaced soon. According to rumours that surfaced in the corridors of power of Itanagar, Khandu – who joined the BJP on December 31 by deserting the Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA) – may have to make way for an old saffron face.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju’s name is doing the rounds as the next likely chief minister of the state. State BJP chief Tapir Gao is also said to be in the race.

Though BJP office-bearers and senior ministers in the Khandu government denied any such development, party legislators in the state are reportedly unhappy with Khandu’s presence in their midst.

Gao, however, dismissed the reports as false. “Pema Khandu is, and will remain, our chief minister. These rumours are being spread as by some Congress workers,” he told HT over the phone from Delhi.

Senior BJP leaders from the state, including Rijiju, Khandu and Gao, are in the national capital to attend the party’s national executive meet – which started on Friday.

Prior to Khandu joining the party, the BJP had 12 MLAs in the state and was a coalition partner in the PPA-led North East Development Alliance (NEDA) government. With 33 PPA MLAs joining the party and two Congress legislators switching sides, the BJP’s strength in the 60-member assembly has gone up to 47. Two independent MLAs also support Khandu’s government.

“There is no question of Khandu being replaced as there are no differences among our MLAs, neither the old members nor the new ones who joined from the PPA. We have all settled in here comfortably,” deputy chief minister Chowna Mein said.

Khandu became the chief minister as a Congress legislator in July last year. He switched sides to join the PPA in September, and then entered the BJP after he and 10 other MLAs were suspended for anti-party activities.

Meanwhile, the PPA remains undecided on being a part of the coalition government in the state as well as continuing with NEDA, the BJP-led alliance of regional parties opposed to the Congress. “We have taken up the issue with NEDA convenor and senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. A decision will be taken after a meeting in Guwahati next week,” said PPA chairman Kamen Ringu.

After the desertion of Khandu and the 32 legislators, the regional outfit is now left with 10 MLAs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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