ITANAGAR: A sports enthusiast and music lover, Pema Khandu has emerged as a capable leader in Arunachal Pradesh over the years, especially since the constitutional crisis of 2016 that led to the introduction of President’s rule.
Khandu is also credited with being the strategist who, through political maneuvering, brought the BJP to power for the first time in a northeastern state bordering China.
The BJP returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third consecutive term on Sunday, winning 46 seats in the 60-seat assembly.
Khandu’s journey into politics began with personal tragedy: the untimely death of his father, former prime minister Dorje Khandu, in a helicopter crash in 2011 thrust him into the spotlight.
He joined the Congress in 2000 and served in various capacities but it was only after he won a by-election unopposed from his father’s constituency, Mukt, that he really began to forge a political path.
Khandu’s rise was swift, initially serving as tourism minister in Nabam Tuki’s Indian National Congress government and then rocketing to leadership after the constitutional crisis of January 2016 led to the introduction of presidential rule.
After central power was abolished, he became a minister in the BJP-backed Kariko Phul government, but this did not last long: Tuki was reinstated after the Supreme Court intervened, but he soon resigned and Khandu became the chief minister in July 2016, aged just 37.
Since then, Khandu and his government have switched party affiliations twice in quick succession, from the Indian National Congress to the Arunachal Pradesh Party (PPA) in September 2016 and then to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in December the same year.
Just three months into his term, 43 ruling MPs defected to the PPA, an ally of the BJP.
Despite being expelled from the PPA due to internal discord in the party, Khandu showed tenacity and adaptability by joining the BJP along with most of the PPA’s legislators and securing his own position and proving its majority in the assembly.
In 2019, Khandu won the Mukt Assembly seat for the second time and became the state’s chief minister without any political hindrance.
Apart from politics, Khandu is also known for his cultural contributions and as an avid music lover, he enthrals audiences at official functions by performing classics by Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi.
His passion for preserving cultural heritage is evident in his efforts to promote traditional songs through talent shows in Tawang and West Kameng districts.
Sports is another of Kandu’s passions and he actively organises cricket tournaments, supports local athletes and nurtures talent in various fields including football, cricket, badminton and volleyball.
Khandu, who studied history at Hindu University in Delhi, is a member of the Monpa ethnic group who live mainly in Tawang and parts of West Kameng.
Ahead of the state assembly elections, held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls on April 19, he campaigned on a platform of corruption-free governance and emphasised transparency and people-centric policies.
Khandu, 45, a Buddhist, was re-elected unopposed from Mukt constituency in the border district of Tawang.
Published June 2, 2024 11:24 IST
