In a major boost to the Bharatiya Janata Party, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang and 38 MLAs who broke away from the Congress have decided to join the party.
The decision followed three days of close-door meetings between the MLAs, who had formed a new party called Congress (D), and BJP in-charge of the Northeast V Satish and BJP spokesman Khiren Rijiju.
The MLAs have written to assembly Speaker Siton Sena about their intentions. He has received a separate letter from the chief minister, the lone Arunachal Congress MLA in the 60-member House, also seeking permission to join the BJP.
Apang heads a 36-member coalition ministry in the sensitive border state.
If Sena approves of the move, the BJP may have its first government in the Northeast. He is expected to take a decision on Monday since only 26 of the 38 Congress (D) MLAs appeared before him after he directed them to do so following receipt of their letters expressing their desire to join the BJP.