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Khandu drops three Ministers from Cabinet

By Correspondent

ITANAGAR, Jan 2 - Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday dropped three Ministers from his Cabinet, besides removing five Parliamentary Secretaries.

With this, the strength of Khandu Cabinet has come down to nine from existing 12. No reason has been cited for their removal. Following this, a likely reshuffle of the Cabinet is expected in a day or two.

Ministers who were axed from the Cabinet include Public Health Engineering & Water Supply and Disaster Management Minister Takam Pario, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj Minister Tanga Byaling and Animal Husbandry, Veterinary & Dairy Development, Fisheries and Sports & Youth Affairs Minister Rajesh Tacho.

Parliamentary Secretaries who were dropped include Rajya Sabha MP Mukut Mithi�s son Mutchu Mithi, who was holding the portfolio of Public Works Department, Markio Tado (Food & Civil Supplies), Tirong Aboh (Geology & Mining), Dikto Yekar (Art & Culture) and Nikh Kamin (Disaster Management).

A �notification� issued by Secretary to the Cabinet said: Governor of Arunachal Pradesh acting on the advice of the Chief Minister withdraws his pleasure in the respect of the three Cabinet Ministers with immediate effect. The portfolios held by the sacked Ministers shall now be held by Chief Minister himself, it said.

Today�s political development took place barely a couple of days after Pema Khandu-led 32 PPA legislators switched loyalty to BJP thereby bringing the Saffron party to the Frontier State�s power.

Their decision to break away from PPA came at a time when the regional alliance partner of the BJP had suspended 11 of its MLAs, including CM Khandu and Deputy CM Chowna Mein, for their alleged involvement in anti-party activities.

PTI adds: On the recommendation of the Chief Minister, Governor V Shanmuganathan gave his assent to the removal of the Ministers on December 31 last.

As per another notification issued by Chief Secretary Shakuntala Doley Gamlin, the Governor today discontinued the services of Kameng Do and Tapang Taloh, Principal Advisor and Advisor to the Chief Minister respectively.

All the dropped Ministers, advisors and parliamentary secretaries, who are MLAs of Peoples� Party of Arunachal (PPA), had opposed the leadership of Khandu and projected Takam Pario as the next Chief Minister of the State.

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