ITANAGAR, Sept 19 - Two days after 43 Congress legislators led by Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu merged with People�s Party of Arunachal (PPA), Assam Finance Minister and Convenor of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that BJP will extend outside support to the Khandu-led PPA Government in the State.
This decision was arrived at a joint coordination meeting of BJP and PPA held here on Sunday under the chairmanship of Himanta Biswa Sarma, Convenor, NEDA. The meeting, also attended by Khandu, Arunachal BJP president Tapir Gao and Deputy CM Chowna Mein, also discussed the modalities of the new alliance in the State.
Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, the NEDA Convenor along with CM Khandu said that the BJP would extend outside support to Khandu-led PPA Government.
The Arunachal Pradesh Government would be known as NEDA Government and Khandu will be its patron, Sarma said.
To a poser, the BJP leader from Assam said, �We will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah on October 1 and thereafter will decide whether BJP will take part in the government.�
On being asked about the vexed Assam-Arunachal boundary dispute, the Assam Minister said that NEDA would provide a platform to both the States to resolve the issue. �NEDA would provide a platform, where both CMs can sit informally to resolve the vexed boundary issue,� he added.
He also said that through NEDA, various issues of the North East could be taken up collectively in Delhi. He informed that all NEDA Chief Ministers will have opportunity to interact with nine South Asian countries in early October.
