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Kalikho Pul’s third wife to contest by-poll for his vacant seat on BJP ticket
BJP and Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA), coalition partners in the state government, agreed on Dasanglu Pul’s name at a meeting of the anti-Congress North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) in Itanagar on Wednesday.
Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul’s third wife, Dasanglu Pul, will contest the next month’s by-election to the assembly seat vacated by his death, on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.
BJP and Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA), coalition partners in the state government, agreed on Dasanglu’s name at a meeting of the anti-Congress North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) in Itanagar on Wednesday. Polling for the scheduled tribe (ST) seat, which is close to the China border, would be held on November 19.
The reserved Hayuliang assembly seat, which Pul represented, fell vacant after the 47-year-old Pul’s body was found hanging at his official residence in Itanagar, the state capital, on August 9.
Although it was clear that someone from Pul’s family would get the ticket, there were speculations on who would get selected and which party would the contestant represent. Pul’s first wife, Dangwimsai, was also seeking the ticket. But the family resolved their differences and agreed on Dasanglu’s name to further the late CM’s legacy.
“We appealed to PPA to allow Dasanglu to contest on our party’s ticket, and they agreed. As both BJP and PPA are part of NEDA, she will get the support of all parties in the alliance,” state BJP chief Tapir Gao told Hindustan Times.
As a mark of respect for Pul, BJP and PPA have requested other parties not to field any candidates and allow Dasanglu to get elected unopposed.
“I was in suspense for several weeks about getting the ticket. Now it’s over and we can focus on the election so that the work left unfinished by my husband’s death can be carried forward,” Dasanglu told HT.
The by-election is happening at a time when the 60-page note written by Pul, found near his body, is making headlines with former Arunachal governor JP Rajkhowa telling a newspaper that its contents are “explosive”.
The note called ‘Mere Vichar’ (My Thoughts) was sealed by the police and is yet to be opened.
Following Pul’s death, Arunachal government had ordered a magisterial inquiry as well as a separate police investigation.
Forensic report of the late CM’s viscera, which was submitted to the police earlier this month, has ruled out any foul play behind his death. The police are expected to submit their report on the case within a month.
