[ Amar Sangno ]
ITANAGAR, 4 Mar: The state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ended the month-long suspense over issuing of party tickets by announcing its first of list 195 party tickets.
Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju and former state BJP president Tapir Gao have made the list for the eastern and the western parliamentary constituency, respectively.
The announcement comes amid an anti-incumbency wave in both the constituencies. For the eastern parliamentary constituency, three probable candidates’ names were doing the rounds: Namsai MLA and state BJP general secretary Zingnoo Namchoom, former Congress parliamentarian and current Pasighat MLA Ninong Ering, who recently joined the BJP, and former Congress MLA contestant Nuney Tayang.
Gao faced a strong anti-incumbent wave as Tayang announced his candidature for the eastern parliamentary constituency on 29 February. He claimed that he should be given the BJP ticket. Declaring his candidacy, Tayang claimed that he has public support. With the BJP giving the ticket to Gao, Tayang said that he is still interested in the Lok Sabha seat but is yet to decide which party he will contest from.
In the western parliamentary constituency, Rijiju’s popularity could not do magic over other party members. Former state BJP president Tai Tagak sought the party ticket for the western parliamentary constitu-ency, but the party high command was in favour of Rijiju.
In January, the Janata Dal (United) had announced that its national general secretary and Northeast in-charge Ruhi Tagung would contest from the western parliamentary constituency. The JD (U) announced Tagung’s candidacy when the party was in an alliance with the Congress in Bihar. The party has switched its alliance to the BJP. It is unclear whether Tagung will still contest against the BJP candidate.
Though the JD (U) has announced Tagung’s name, the party is yet to kickstart its campaign.
On the other hand, Arunachal Against Corruption chairperson Toko Sheetal threw herself into the fray for the Lok Sabha seat. Sheetal, who had stirred a campaign against Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s governance in Delhi in 2023, has started her campaign from the Gana Suraksha Party for the western parliamentary constituency.
“Of course, the people of Arunachal Pradesh are fed up of the sitting incumbent, so they are looking for an alternative leader for many reasons,” Sheetal said.
She waved off Rijiju’s perceived popularity among the youths, saying, “Whether the sitting one is in high profile portfolio in the Modi government or not, that’s not important,” and added that the incumbent MP has “an arrogant attitude, talks recklessly about his own state and its people, and, more importantly, keeps mum on many issues and during crises.”
She cited several burning issues, such as the PRC issue, the refugees issue, the Assam-Arunachal boundary issue, the Kimin fiasco, the APPSC paper leak scam, and the mysterious death of Tumi Gangkak, and said that “Rijiju has been maintaining silence” on all these fronts.
The Congress, the principal opposition party, is yet to finalise its candidates for both the parliamentary constituencies. As per APCC president and former chief minister Nabam Tuki, the party will hold a Pradesh Election Committee meeting on 6 March to finalise its candidates.
However, for the eastern parliamentary constituency, former education minister Bosiram Siram’s name is at the forefront. Siram indirectly confirmed his candidacy when contacted by The Arunachal Times, saying that “it is under process.”
