Itanagar:
The BJP and the NPP hammered a deal on Wednesday to form a joint government in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation, where JD(U) will be their opponent.
As part of the agreement reached at a joint meeting during the day, Tame Phassang of BJP will be the new Mayor of the Itanagar civic body, while Biri Basang of NPP will be his deputy, leaders of the two parties said.
The decision was taken at the meeting after National People’s Party (NPP) supported BJP to secure a majority in the 20-member Itanagar Municipal Corporation, elections to which were held last month, they said.
The ruling BJP had won 10 seats in the elections, NPP bagged one and opposition JD(U) got nine seats.
The new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) are likely to be sworn-in on January 15,sources in the two parties said.
Tame Phassang is a BJP national council member and advisor to Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
State BJP president Biyuram Waghe, state NPP president Gicho Kabak and MLA Tapuk Taku and BJP Lok Sabha member Tapir Gao among others were present in the meeting.
During the meeting, the two parties discussed strategy under the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) for NPP’s support to the BJP for better governance, NPP vice president Nima Sangey said.
On the other side, BJP accepted NPP’s proposal of appointing Basang as the deputy mayor, he said.
Janata Dal (United), the BJP’s ally in Bihar, will be their opponent in the IMC.
Close on heels of mass defection of its MLAs to the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh, the JD(U), in its maiden contest on its own in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation polls, had baggednine wards, only one less than the saffron party.
The Congress which ruled IMC last time had failed to open its account in the December polls.
The crossing over of six out of the total seven MLAs of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar headed JD(U) to the BJP had created heartburn among the Bihar-centric regional party leaders.
Though the JD(U) leaders had voiced annoyance over the development, but the top leadership of the two old allies had made it clear that it would not have any bearing on their alliance in Bihar, where they are partners in the government.
