ARUNACHAL PRADESH: SEVEN PPA MLAs MERGE WITH NPP

17 July 2018:

The National People’s Party (NPP) has received a shot in the arm in Arunachal Pradesh as seven MLAs of the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) defected to the party from Meghalaya.

The defectors are Tanga Byaling, Rajesh Tacho, Tapang Taloh, Nikh Kamin, Tirong Aboh, Dikto Yikar and Mutchu Mithi.

The defection of the MLAs has left the PPA in a spot of bother given that Arunachal will go to election next year.

Following the development, the strength of North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), of which BJP and NPP are partners, in the 60-member Arunachal House has risen up to 55. BJP has 48 MLAs, followed by two from the PPA, two Independents and one from the Congress.

The NPP in Arunachal was formed in August last year after a large number of leaders from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) dissolved the party and merged it with NPP.

Founded by PA Sangma in 2013 and later carried forward by his son and incumbent Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the NPP has flourished in Manipur and Nagaland. In Manipur, all four of its MLAs are in the state Cabinet with one of them serving as the Deputy Chief Minister. In Nagaland, the party has two MLAs.