It will be BJP in Itanagar for 2nd time in a row, with 46 of 60 seats

BJP scripted its second consecutive electoral landslide in the frontier state of Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, winning 46 of 60 assembly constituencies — 10 of them unopposed — to build on its 2019 tally of 41 and leave Congress clinging to a solitary seat in its erstwhile stronghold of over three decades.
BJP’s dominance was reflected in the party wresting 16 seats, not only making up for the 11 it couldn’t retain but also widening its footprint in this strategically important state bordering China.The saffron party improved its vote share from 50.9% in 2019 to over 54%.

Led by Pema Khandu, who won uncontested and is tipped to retain the chief ministership despite BJP not officially naming its CM face, most of the saffron party’s gains came at the expense of JD(U) and Congress. NDA ally NPP won five seats, the same as in 2019, while NCP made a comeback, garnering three.
It was a big blow for Congress, which had formed govts in Arunachal’s see-saw politics 8 times between 1980 and 2016.
Scripting decisive win, Pema Khandu poised to retain CM’s chair
Pema Khandu’s foray into electoral politics was hastened by the unfortunate circumstances of his father and then Arunachal CM Dorjee Khandu’s death in a helicopter crash in 2011.
Five years later, he found himself briefly in the hot seat of Arunachal’s last Congress govt, and at the epicentre of a political churn that would quickly see BJP become entrenched in the frontier NorthEastern state. At 44, having just completed his first full term at the helm of a BJP-led govt and presided over a second successive decisive poll victory, Khandu is poised to retain the chief ministership, and possibly the mantle of youngest serving CM of any Indian state.

But Khandu is quick to remind everyone that in the absence of a pre-determined face, BJP would follow a structured process to pick the state’s 18th CM. “Ours is a very disciplined party, so no one makes a claim (to the CM’s post). There is a process within the party. The final decision will be made following a meeting of BJP legislature party, which will be attended by a senior central functionary. The party’s choice of CM will be announced after this meeting,” he said in the first flush of victory.
Khandu was ranked by the ADR as the second wealthiest CM after Andhra’s YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in 2023. As of Saturday, he had been at the helm for seven years and 321 days. During this period, he was CM of three govts, starting as a Congress CM on July 17, 2016, before switching to People’s Party of Arunachal and taking the oath of office again on Sept 16 of that year. He joined BJP to become CM for the third time on Dec 31, 2016, and continued till the 2019 mandate for his current term.
Elected to the assembly unopposed for the first time from his father’s constituency Mukto within months of the latter’s death, Khandu is from the Monpa tribe, an indigenous community that mainly inhabits Tawang district. He is a Buddhist. In 2011, the history graduate from Delhi’s Hindu College was inducted into the then Congress govt led by Jarbom Gamlin as a cabinet minister. The second turning point in his career after his father’s death came in 2016 when a constitutional crisis led to President’s rule.
Arunachal victory a testament to people’s trust in PM, says Shah
Just one seat for Congress in Arunachal assembly polls illustrates the party’s descent into near-oblivion from the glory days of its longest-serving CM Gegong Apang. In 2019, Congress had four seats.
Home minister Amit Shah termed the victory “a testament to the NorthEast people’s trust in PM @narendramodi Ji and the era of change ushered in by the Modi government in the region”.
Khandu attributed BJP losing 11 of the seats it had won in 2019 to “local dynamics and tribal politics that are clan-based”. “The future will be better for the party. In the Lok Sabha elections, we will win both seats.”
BJP’s performance came in the face of several sitting MLAs switching sides after being denied tickets. Some ended up winning as candidates on the other side. Khandu said the party wouldn’t let any of the turncoats return. “BJP is a mature and professional party, and it cannot allow people to move in and out per their wishes.”
On Congress’s decimation, the outgoing CM said it was comeuppance for the grand old party allegedly allowing corruption to strike roots in the region. “Congress has been rooted out, and this is an indication that there is no place for it in Arunachal Pradesh.”
Hours after the results were declared, Khandu submitted his resignation to the governor, but was asked to continue till the next govt was formed.
Khandu said BJP would stake claim to form the new govt after the Lok Sabha poll verdict on Tuesday.