All Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh from 1975 to 2025, Names & Tenure

Located in the northeastern part of India, Arunachal Pradesh was carved out from the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and attained full statehood on 20th February 1987. However, the region had been functioning with a structured administrative framework even prior to statehood. The First Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh was Prem Khandu Thungan, who led the state from 1975 to 1979, playing a crucial role during its formative political years.

Currently, Pema Khandu, a prominent leader from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is serving as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh. He assumed office in 2016 and has since demonstrated stable leadership and administrative continuity. His tenure has been marked by efforts to enhance infrastructure, governance transparency, and regional development.

Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh

Arunachal Pradesh has seen the President rule twice since its establishment, and the longest-serving Chief Minister of the State was Gegong Apang, who has been elected twice as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh from various parties such as the INC, Arunachal Congress, UDF, and BJP. 

Also Read: Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh

List of Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh from 1975 to 2025

In the table below, we have shared an insight to the List of Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, including the parties they have represented, the tenure,s and constituencies

Current Chief Minister Of Arunachal Pradesh

Pema Khandu is the Current Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, serving since July 17, 2016. He represents the Mukto constituency and is a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He initially became the Chief Minister as a member of the Indian National Congress (INC), but later switched to the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) in September 2016. By December 2016, he and his supporters joined the BJP, making Arunachal Pradesh a BJP-ruled state. He has also focused on promoting Arunachal Pradesh as a major part in India’s Act East Policy. Under his initiative “Dekho Apna Pradesh” campaign was launched to promote eco-tourism and adventure tourism in the state, and several other events like the Ziro Music Festival, the Tawang Festival, and the Siang River Festival.

First Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh

Prem Khandu Thungan was the First Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, serving from August 13, 1975, to September 18, 1979. He played a crucial role in shaping the early political landscape of the state after it transitioned from the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) to a Union Territory in 1972. He played an important role in the revolution of Arunachal Pradesh towards full statehood, which was eventually granted in 1987 under Gegong Apang’s government, and later he served as a Union Minister of State under Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao’s government.

Longest-Serving Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh

Gegong Apang holds the record for being the Longest Serving Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, with a total tenure of 22 years, across two different terms initially from January 18, 1980, to January 19, 1999, and secondly from January 18, 1980, to January 19, 1999. He is the man behind Arunachal Pradesh full full-fledged statehood, which was granted in 1987, under his guidance, major upliftments in the road network and the healthcare sector were noticed, and he also contributed towards the ‘hydroelectric projects’ in Arunachal Pradesh. He also formed the ”Arunachal Congress” but later joined the BJP in 2014.