After 36 years, Arunachal gets its second woman minister in Dasanglu Pul

GUWAHATI: BJP leader Dasanglu Pul, the 46-year-old widow of former Congress CM Khaliko Pul, made history on Thursday by becoming the second woman minister in Arunachal Pradesh after a 36-year hiatus. CM Pema Khandu said Pul's induction was a strong message to the womenfolk of the state to get ready to enter the next assembly in more numbers.
"BJP always talks about women empowerment.During the previous Narendra Modi govt, the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam or women's reservation bill was passed in both houses of parliament and it will be rolled out by 2029. In Arunachal Pradesh assembly, too, there will be 33% reservation for women. By appointing a woman as a minister, we tried to send a message to the women of the state to be ready as a govt should be run by women as well," Khandu, sworn in as the BJP CM for the third straight term, said.
In the recently concluded elections to the 60-member assembly, four out of the seven women candidates emerged victorious - all being from BJP. This accounts for a mere 6% women representation in the house. The first woman minister in the state, which attained statehood in 1987, was Komoli Mossang. She was appointed as deputy minister in 1988 and elevated as cabinet minister in 1990.
Pul, who has declared her education qualification as 12th pass in her election affidavit, was among the 10 BJP candidates who won the assembly elections uncontested. She represents Hayuliang assembly constituency in the state's Anjaw district.
"I am very happy. The women of the state are happy. BJP has appointed a woman as a minister. I thank the BJP govt and the chief minister on behalf of the women of the state," she told media persons after the swearing-in function. Pul made her electoral debut in 2016 by winning a byelection from the Hayuliang constituency which had fallen vacant after her husband's demise.
Arunachal house has so far seen 17 women MLAs since the first assembly polls in 1978. Since then only 59 women candidates have fought elections.