BJP announces candidates for all 60 seats for Arunachal Pradesh assembly polls

BJP announces candidates for all 60 seats in Arunachal Pradesh for upcoming assembly polls, dropping 14 sitting MLAs including three ministers.

Updated on: Mar 13, 2024, 20:51:32 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday announced candidates for all 60 seats in Arunachal Pradesh for the coming assembly polls in the northeastern state, which will be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election.

The list has four women candidates, including three sitting legislators and a fresh face (Representative Photo)

The party has fielded chief minister Pema Khandu from the Mukto seat, the same seat he represented in 2019, while his deputy Chowna Mein would fight from his home constituency, Chowkham.

“I extend my best wishes to all 60 candidates...I am quite sure each of you will be a winner as the lovely people of the state have complete trust in our service to them marked by complete dedication and commitment,” CM Khandu posted on X after the list was announced in Delhi.

Also Read: Gadkari, Khattar, Goyal named in BJP’s 2nd list of 72 Lok Sabha candidates

Significantly, the BJP dropped 14 of its sitting MLAs, including three ministers in the present cabinet. The ministers left out are home minister Bamang Felix (Nyapin), industries minister Tumke Bagra (Alo West) and agriculture minister Tage Taki (Ziro Hapoli).

Three Congress MLAs – Ninong Ering (Pasighat West), Lombo Tayeng (Mebo) and Wangling Lowangdong (Borduria Bogapani) – who had joined the BJP recently have been included in the list.

The list has four women candidates, including three sitting legislators and a fresh face. Of the 60 seats, 53 are reserved for scheduled tribe (ST) candidates and the rest are general seats.

Congress and other prominent parties like the National People’s Party are yet to announce their candidates for the assembly election.

In 2019, the BJP retained power by winning 41 seats, Janata Dal (United) won seven, NPP won five, Congress - four, Peoples Party of Arunachal Pradesh - one and the remaining two seats were secured by Independents.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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