JOIN USThe sprawling chief minister’s bungalow in posh Niti Vihar area of Arunachal Pradesh’s capital Itanagar has been witness to a lot of political rumbling in the past half a decade but has fallen from grace in recent times.
Not just the common people but even the politicians, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu, have an eerie feeling about the bungalow. The bungalow has been home to four chief ministers in the past eight years but none could complete their term. Three of them died untimely.
Dorjee Khandu, former chief minister and present chief minister Pema’s father, was the first to move into this bungalow in 2009. But Dorjee Khandu died in 2011 in a helicopter crash. The next incumbent of the bungalow, Garbom Gamlin, could not complete his term. He also died recently after a short illness.
After Gamlin, Nabam Tuki became the chief minister but he also could not complete his term and had to step down. After Tuki, Kalikho Pul became the occupant of the bungalow and supposedly committed suicide in this bungalow.
The impact of the buzz about the evil spirits has been such that Chief Minister Pema Khandu is in two minds about moving in.