1. ECI to unveil 2024 Lok Sabha and state assembly election schedules in New Delhi.
2. Polling schedule for general elections to be announced in a televised live conference.
3. Anticipation builds as ECI gears up to reveal election timetable this afternoon.
Itanagar, March 16: The Election Commission of India has announced that the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly will go to polls on April 19 in a single phase, coinciding with the Lok Sabha elections for the state’s two parliamentary seats.
With the Assembly’s current term ending on June 2, the upcoming elections hold significant importance for the political landscape of Arunachal Pradesh.
In the last Assembly elections held in 2019, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious, securing 53 seats and paving the way for Pema Khandu to assume the Chief Minister’s office.
However, the BJP is not the sole contender in the electoral arena. The National People’s Party holds two seats, with one each being held by the Congress and an Independent MLA, reflecting a diverse political landscape in the state.
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For the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has nominated Union Minister Kiren Rijiju for the Arunachal West seat and Tapir Gao, the BJP’s state president, for the Arunachal East seat. Their names were included in the BJP’s initial list of candidates released on March 2.
In the 2019 national polls, the NDA secured a significant voter percentage of 58.2%, while the Congress trailed behind with 20.69%.
While the Congress is yet to announce its candidates for the upcoming elections, the Janata Dal (United) has decided to field Ruhi Tagung, the party’s state chief, for the Arunachal West seat.
Recent developments within the state’s political landscape have added further intrigue to the electoral contest. Former Chief Minister Nabam Tuki resigned as the Congress president in Arunachal Pradesh earlier this month, citing “moral grounds” due to his inability to prevent MLAs from defecting to other parties.
Furthermore, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Lombo Tayeng, a six-time MLA from Mebo in East Siang district, recently joined the BJP, signaling a shift in political allegiances within the state.
These developments underscore the dynamic nature of Arunachal Pradesh’s political scenario, setting the stage for an engaging and closely contested election in April.
