JD U suffers setback in Arunachal six MLAs join BJP

    Itanagar, Dec 25 (PTI) The Janata Dal United received
a major jolt in Arunachal Pradesh, with six of its seven MLAs
shifting allegiance to the ruling BJP, a bulletin issued by
the state legislative assembly said.
    The lone MLA from the People's Party of Arunachal
(PPA), Kardo Nyigyor from Likabali constituency, has also
joined the saffron party.
    The development comes a day ahead of the announcement
of the panchayat and municipal poll results.
    The JD(U) MLAs who switched sides are Talem Taboh from
Rumgong Assembly Constituency, Hayeng Mangfi (Chayang Tajo),
Jikke Tako (Tali), Dorjee Wangdi Kharma (Kalaktang), Dongru
Siongju (Bomdila) and Kanggong Taku from Mariyang-Geku
constituency, the bulletin said.
    On November 26, the JD(U) had issued show-cause
notices to Siongju, Kharma and Taku for "anti-party"
activities, and suspended them.
    The six JD(U) MLAs had earlier elected Talem Taboh as
the new Legislature Party leader allegedly without the
knowledge of senior party members.
    The PPA MLA was also suspended by the regional outfit
earlier this month.
    "We have accepted their letters conveying the
intention to join the party," BJP's Arunachal Pradesh
president B R Waghe said.
    The JD(U), led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar,
won seven of the 15 seats it contested in the 2019 assembly
elections, and emerged as the second largest party after the
BJP, which had bagged 41 seats.
    Following the switchover, the BJP now has 48 MLAs in
the 60-member House, while the JD(U) is left with only one.
Congress and the National People's Party (NPP) have four
members each. PTI UPL
RBT RBT

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)