Lone JD(U) MLA in Arunachal joins BJP

The lone JD(U) MLA in Arunachal Pradesh, Techi Kaso, joined the ruling BJP on Wednesday. Deputy Speaker in Assembly, Tesam Pongte, accepted the Itanagar legislator's merger with the saffron party. With the switchover, the BJP's strength in the 60-member House is now 49.

The JD(U), led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had bagged seven of the 15 seats it had contested in the 2019 assembly elections, and emerged as the second-largest party in the state after the BJP, which had won 41 seats.

However, on December 25, 2020, six of its MLAs joined the BJP.


Opposition Congress and BJP's ally NPP have four MLAs each, while there are three Independent legislators who also support the ruling party.