Pema Khandu

1. Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju cast votes in native villages.
2. Voting is underway for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh.
3. High voter turnout reported despite incessant rain; 8,92,694 voters eligible to cast ballots.

Itanagar, April 19: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju exercised their democratic rights on Friday, casting their votes in their respective native villages as the polling for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies commenced, officials confirmed.

Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu stands in the queue for his turn to vote in the Tawang constituency. He has already won Uncontested from Mukto Assembly Seat.

Today voters of Arunachal Pradesh are voting for both the General Elections 2024 and the State Assembly Election too. 

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein also participated in the electoral process in his village within the Chowkham assembly segment.

Rijiju cast his vote in Nafra, his village situated in the newly formed Bichom district, while Khandu exercised his franchise in the Mukto constituency located in Tawang district.

Khandu and Mein are among the ten BJP candidates who secured uncontested victories in the 60-member assembly.

Also Read: Clashes Disrupt Voting in West Bengal During Lok Sabha Election

Expressing his enthusiasm for the democratic process, Khandu took to social media, urging all eligible voters to actively participate in the elections.

Mein echoed the sentiment, sharing a photo after casting his vote and calling upon all voters to exercise their adult franchise.

He particularly encouraged first-time voters to partake in the vibrant democratic process, emphasizing its importance in electing representatives for both the state legislative assembly and Lok Sabha.

Despite incessant rain, the spirit of the electorate remained undeterred as queues formed outside polling stations across the northeastern state. The elections encompass two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies.

Approximately 8,92,694 voters, including 4,54,256 women, are eligible to cast their votes, determining the fate of 133 candidates in the assembly polls and 14 contestants in the Lok Sabha polls.

In the Arunachal West parliamentary seat, eight candidates are vying for victory, including Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju and state Congress president Nabam Tuki.

Similarly, six candidates, including sitting BJP MP Tapir Gao and state Congress vice president Bosiram Siram, are contesting from the Arunachal East.

Elaborate security measures have been put in place by state election authorities to ensure peaceful polling. Seventy companies of central armed police forces (CAPF), alongside India Reserve Battalion and state police personnel, have been deployed, as confirmed by state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pawan Kumar Sain.

The counting of votes for the assembly elections is scheduled for June 2, while the results of the Lok Sabha polls will be announced on June 4.