In a shot in the arm for the BJP in Arunachal Pradesh, seven of the nine MLAs of the People's Party of Arunachal today joined the National People's Party, a partner in the ruling alliance led by the saffron party.
NPP state president Gicho Kabak announced the development at a press conference in Itanagar after submitting the names of the MLAs to the assembly secretariat.
NPP and BJP are partners in the the North East Democratic Alliance, which governs the state.
NPP state vice-president Nima Sange said all the seven PPA legislators have joined the party unconditionally.
With this, the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly now has 48 members from the BJP, seven from the NPP, two from the PPA, one from the Congress and two Independents.
The NPP had no members in the assembly earlier.
BJP's effective tally, however, is 57 with the seven NPP members and two Independent associate members.