In poll season, 2 BJP ministers, 6 legislators cross over to Arunachal’s NPP

NPP, which is heading the government in Meghalaya, (of which BJP is also a part) is part of BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance.

Updated on: Mar 19, 2019, 23:56:15 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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In a setback to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Arunachal Pradesh, two sitting ministers and 6 MLAs of the party joined National People’s Party late on Tuesday evening.

The change has raised the strength of the opposition NPP to 13, the BJP still has 40 legislators in the 60-member assembly.

Arunachal Pradesh goes to polls on April 11 to elect 2 Lok Sabha MPs and 60 new members to the state assembly.

“Two sitting ministers Kumar Waii and Jarkar Gamlin and six other BJP legislators formally joined our party. Former BJP general secretary Jarpum Gamlin and two other former MLAs and 8 other BJP leaders have also joined us,” said NPP legislator from Roing Mutchu Mithi.

NPP, which is heading the government in Meghalaya, (of which BJP is also a part) is part of BJP-led North East Democratic Alliance (a group of anti-Congress parties in northeast). But both parties are contesting the Lok Sabha elections separately.

NPP is also part of the BJP-led government in Manipur and the NDPP-led government in Nagaland where BJP is also a partner.

“Those who were denied tickets by the BJP have joined NPP. It won’t affect us one bit. Tickets were given based on ground reality and winning potential of candidates,” said BJP Arunachal Pradesh chief Tapir Gao.

The BJP had released a list of 54 candidates two days ago in which names of Waii and Jarkar Gamlin were missing. BJP state general secretary Jarpum Gamlin had quit the party after his name was not included in the list.

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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