Peoples Party of Arunachal is a regional political party in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. It was founded in September 1977 by Bakin Pertin, Oken Lego and L. Wanglat as president, Vice President and General Secretary of the party. Tomo Riba resigned from PK Thungon government of Congress Party and joined PPA as Vice President of the Party. Currently, Kamen Ringu is the chairman of the party. They were in power in Arunachal until all of their MLAs defected back to Indian National Congress.
Following the election of Pertin as Member of Parliament, a meeting was organized in Pasighat in April 1977. In this meeting, the PPA constitution was drafted under the Chairmanship of L.Wanglat who joined Bakin Pertin & Oken Lego. He was Congress General Secretary of Tirap District and also Pradesh Organiser of Seva Dal in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The People Party of Arunachal for formed.[3][4] Pertin became the president of the new party.[5] Whilst being the leader of PPA, Pertin was continued to be linked to the Janata Party then in government in Delhi.[6] Pertin had the status of being an 'associated' member of the Janata Party. He later broke his links with the Janata Party after Congress Party led by CM P.K Thungon merged en-blocked with the Janata Party. Bakin Partin joined INC as an associate member in Parliament while still keeping PPA in Arunachal Pradesh. He was close to Indira Gandhi. Bakin Partin was the first MP to demand the dissolution of the House and called for fresh election [7][8]
In 1979, PPA MLA and former Congress Minister Tomo Riba became the first PPA Chief Minister. It was a short-lived government spanning from September 1979 to November 1979 with a total of 47 days. A general election was announced in 1980, Arunachal Pradesh State election was included with the general election to elect the Union Territory MLAs. PPA of Tomo Riba and INC of PK Thungon won 13 each in a house of 30 seats. The rest 6 seats were PPA supported independent members. With Indira Gandhi coming back to Power PPA the first associate of INC became the first victim with its President Bakin Partin losing his MP seat from 2 East MP Constituency with most of its members and independent joining INC Party in Arunachal Pradesh. After this party had little success in Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly.
In 1996, Tomo Riba left the party and joined Gegong Apang camp. Both the leaders had months of deliberation before Tomo Riba and Gegong Apang patched up their political differences. Tomo Riba contested the West Parliamentary election as independent candidate 1996 and became member of the 11th Lok Sabha with the support of Gegong Apang although Apang was Congress Chief Minister in the state of Arunachal Pradesh.
On 16 September 2016, 43 MLAs from the ruling party, under the CM Pema Khandu, left Indian National Congress to join People's Party of Arunachal party, in alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party. Though Pema Khandu is still the Chief minister, it is soon expected that either a coalition government will be formed with BJP as the speaker of assembly has also changed sides with the CM, or that the Indian Government will dissolve the state assembly for a fresh general elections.[11]