ITANAGAR May 6: The BJP MLA candidate for the Koloriang assembly constituency in Kurung Kumey district, Lokam Tassar, has requested the chief electoral officer (CEO) here to disqualify National People’s Party (NPP) candidate Pani Taram’s candidature for allegedly violating the election model code of conduct (MCC).
In a representation to the CEO, Tassar claimed that on the evening of 4 April, the NPP candidate offered cash for votes to one Dalang Tashi and thereby violated the MCC.
Tassar also alleged that Taram and his supporters, armed with lethal weapons, intercepted and obstructed the polling team and later burnt down the electronic voting machine in the Nikoriang polling station on 12 April.
Tassar further alleged that it was NPP workers who vandalized the SP’s office in Koloriang on 29 April, and accused Taram of disrupting the re-polling at the Taba and Nampe polling stations. He said video evidence of the poll violence was submitted by the micro-observers to the district election officer.
The BJP candidate suggested to the CEO that the demand for fresh polling in Taba and Nampe should not be entertained.
Meanwhile, throwing its weight behind Tassar, the 21 Koloraing Assembly Constituency Native People’s Forum also requested the CEO not to consider conducting re-polls at the Taba and Nampe polling stations.
Plenty of violence has been witnessed by the people of Koloriang during the elections, and calling fresh polls may fuel further violence in the constituency, it said.
