The BJP on Sunday returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time in a row, as the party won 37 seats in the 60-member assembly and secured majority, Election Commission officials said.

Counting of votes is underway for 50 seats for which elections were held in the northeastern state along with Lok Sabha polls on April 19. The rest 10 seats were won by the saffron party uncontested.

Of the 50 seats, the BJP has won 27 and is leading in eight others.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu is one of the 10 candidates who won unopposed.

The saffron party had won 41 seats in 2019.

The National People’s Party (NPP) bagged three seats and is leading in equal number of constituencies, officials said.

The People’s Party of Arunachal and the NCP secured two and one seat.

The Congress and an Independent candidate are leading in one seat each.