ITANAGAR: At 37, Pema Khandu, who staked claim to form government in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday following the dramatic turn of events, will be the third youngest Chief Minister of the State. Prem Khandu Thungan, known as P K Thungan, became Arunachal’s first Chief Minister in 1978 at the age of 29. Gegong Apang became CM of the State in 1980 at the age of 31.
Incidentally, Khandu’s father, Dorjee Khandu who died in a chopper crash in 2011, had also served as the Chief Minister of the State. For the first time in the history of Northeastern States, a father and son would serve as the CM. Pema Khandu told Express that his priorities would be to drive the State on the road to development. “We’ve buried the hatchet. We will, from now on, work as a team and try and deliver to the people. What Arunachal needs very desperately is all-round development. We will stay focused to achieve it,” Khandu said.
Born in picturesque Gyangkhar village in Tawang district, which shares its border with China, Khandu junior was little known in the State’s political landscape until his foray into politics in 2011 after his father’s demise. That year, Khandu won unopposed in the by-election from Mukto, his father’s Assembly constituency. Later, he was inducted into the Cabinet of Jarbom Gamlin. He was re-elected unopposed in the 2014 Assembly election and became Tourism Minister. A graduate from Hindu College in Delhi, he has two sons and a daughter.