Khandu wins trial of strength hands down

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, July 20: The four-day-old Pema Khandu Government in Aruchal Pradesh on Wednesday passed the show of strength on the floor of the Assembly with 46 MLAs voting in favour of the Chief Minister while 11 members from Opposition BJP voted against it.

Governor Tathagata Roy hurriedly summoned the day-long session of the Assembly late Tuesday night asking Khandu to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

When the House assembled in the morning with Deputy Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok on the chair, Chief Minister Khandu moved the motion, saying, “This House expresses its confidence in the Council of Ministers”, which was seconded by former chief minister bam Tuki.

44 Congress MLAs including two Independent members voted in favour of the government.

Later addressing the members, Khandu, while appreciating them for reposing faith in his leadership, also thanked senior party leaders including Tuki and Kalikho Pul.

He said the State, being one of the largest in the North-east with 26 major tribes and over 100 sub- tribes, his prime duty was to bring about equal development for all the communities living in the State.

Asserting that he would work across party lines, Khandu announced to fincially empower all the members of the House so that development percolates down to their respective constituencies.

The Chief Minister while appealing the members not to dig out issues of the past, emphatically disclosed that he would fix responsibilities on every ministers of his Cabinet and further cautioned that who fails to perform would face action.

“I will take all the MLAs together as ‘Team Aruchal’ to fulfil the aspirations of the people,” he announced, adding that his priority would be to complete all important but incomplete schemes.

Khandu was sworn-in as the ninth Chief Minister on July 17 last after months of political turmoil in the State.

In a dramatic turround in this land-locked State on July 16 last, the Congress party replaced bam Tuki by choosing Khandu as the new CLP leader, who staked claim to power on the basis of support of 45 party MLAs along with two Independents.

In fast-changing political 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 Assembly, which Tuki was directed by the Governor to take, the Congress Legislature Party met and elected Pema, son of late chief minister Dorjee Khandu, as its new leader.

In the 60-member House with an effective strength of 58, Congress now claims the support of 47 MLAs, including two Independents while Opposition BJP has 11 members.

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