Itanagar, June 13 (UNI) Senior BJP leader Pema Khandu was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday. This will be his third stint on the trot.

Khandu was administered the oath of office and secrecy by State Governor Lt General (Retd) KT Parnaik in an impressive ceremony at the DK State Convention Centre here in the presence of BJP National President JP Nadda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the party's national general secretary (organisation) BL Santosh.

Along with Khandu, 11 other legislators, including Chowna Mein, were also sworn in as cabinet ministers.

Mein, who got re-elected from the Chowkham seat for the second successive time, took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister, along with 10 others, including State BJP President Biyuram Wahge, Nyato Dukam, Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Wangki Lowang, former Assembly Speaker Pasang Dorjee Sona, Mama Natung, Dasanglu Pul, Balo Raja, Kento Jini, and Ojing Tasing, as Cabinet Ministers.

There are eight new faces in the 12-member Khandu ministry. They are Pasang Dorjee Sona, Biyuram Wahge, Nyato Dukam, Gabriel Denwang Wangsu, Dasanglu Pul, Nalo Raja, Kento Jini, and Ojing Tasing.

Dasanglu Pul, who represents Hayuliang constituency in Anjaw district bordering China, is the lone female minister. She is the wife of former chief minister Kalikho Pul.

The swearing-in ceremony was also attended by the party's central observers, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Tarun Chugh, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Assam Chief Minister and convenor of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, and Arunachal MPs Tapir Gao and Nabam Rebia, among others.

On Wednesday evening, Khandu met Governor Parnaik at the Raj Bhavan here and staked claim to form a new government in the state. Subsequently, the governor invited him to form the new government.

Earlier, Khandu was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP Legislature Party by the party legislators in a meeting in the presence of the party's central observers, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Tarun Chugh. All three MPs of Arunachal were also present in the meeting.

The BJP has returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third consecutive time by securing a resounding victory in the recent Assembly polls, bagging 46 seats in the 60-member House.

UNI TD GNK