Lok Sabha Elections 2019: All you need to know about Arunachal Pradesh

The state had been largely peaceful until the issue of permanent resident certificates for six non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe communities sparked two days of rioting in the capital Itanagar late last month, forcing it to scrap the recommendation of a government panel

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in 7 phases starting April 11. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.

On December 31, a BJP government was installed in Arunachal Pradesh after 33 out of 43 MLAs of the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) in the 60-member Assembly led by chief minister Pema Khandu joined the saffron party.(HT)

Arunachal Pradesh, one of India’s largest states sends only two MPs to the Lok Sabha. In 2014, the two seats were split between the Congress and the BJP.

On December 31, a BJP government was installed in Arunachal Pradesh after 33 out of 43 MLAs of the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) in the 60-member Assembly led by chief minister Pema Khandu joined the saffron party.

The state had been largely peaceful until the issue of permanent resident certificates for six non-Arunachal Pradesh Scheduled Tribe communities sparked two days of rioting in the capital Itanagar late last month, forcing it to scrap the recommendation of a government panel. Two persons lost their lives.

While the aborted permanent resident certificate issue could still cost the BJP, the state government which had backed the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, changed its stance at the eleventh hour after the governments of Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram opposed the Bill which ultimately lapsed in February.

Here’s what you need to know about the Lok Sabah elections in Arunachal Pradesh.

Date of voting: April 11

Date of counting: May 23

Ruling party/coalition in the state: BJP

Number of Lok Sabha seats in the state: 2

Party wise break-up of the Lok Sabha seats: BJP: 1, Cong: 1

Number of voters in the state: 759,387 (2014)

Voter turnout in 2014: 78.6%

Number of assembly seats: 60

Partywise break-up of assembly seats: BJP: 48, Cong: 03, IND: 2, NPP: 7

Key leaders across parties: BJP: Kiren Rijiju, Pema Khandu, Tapir Gao, CONG: Ninong Ering, Takam Sanjoy

Key issues: 1. Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2. Permanent Resident Certificates to six not-native communities.