Itanagar: In a significant political shift, four members of the National People’s Party (NPP) in Arunachal Pradesh have officially defected to the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA). The State Legislative Assembly confirmed the move on Monday (June 16, 2025).
The change in party affiliation, which adheres to Rule 4 of the Members of Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Grounds of Defection) Rules, 1987, has been formally recorded in the Arunachal Pradesh Gazette.
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The legislators who made the switch are Namgey Tsering (Tawang MLA), Pesi Jilen (Liromoba legislator), Tapi Darang (Pasighat East), and Oni Panyang (Mariyang-Geku constituency)
All four had submitted fresh Form-III declarations on May 12, 2025, to formalize their move from the NPP to the PPA. Notably, they were all elected as NPP candidates in the 2024 Assembly elections. The Assembly Speaker, Tesam Pongte, issued the notification confirming their defection.
The PPA, established in 1977 and recognized as the sole regional party in Arunachal Pradesh, now sees its strength in the 60-member Assembly increase to six.
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This development is expected to further solidify the influence of the ruling BJP-led coalition, given the PPA’s ideological alignment with the BJP.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remains the dominant force in the Assembly with a commanding 46 MLAs. Conversely, the NPP, which secured five seats in the 2024 elections, is now reduced to just one representative: Thangwang Wangham, the Longding-Pumao MLA and state NPP president.
Other parties in the Assembly include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) with three seats, the Congress with one, and independent candidates holding three seats.