The election results of the panchayat and municipal corporations have come. The ruling BJP is the clear winner in the panchayat and in the Pasighat Municipal Council. The saffron party has won the maximum number of seats and has every reason to rejoice over the outcome. However, the BJP has failed to win a clear majority in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC). The party will need the support of the lone NPP Corporator Biri Basang if it wants to govern the IMC. The BJP won 10 seats, the JD (U) won nine seats, and the NPP won one seat. The result of the IMC election clearly shows that local MLA and JD (U) strongman Techi Kaso still holds considerable clout.
The BJP pumped in plenty of money and its top leaders, led by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Home Minister Bamang Felix, campaigned in the IMC election. Several rallies were held by senior party leaders. On the other hand, Techi Kaso stood alone and single-handedly ensured victory of nine corporators and a few zilla parishad members for the JD (U). Kaso has emerged as more popular and stronger from this IMC election. The election also saw the complete decimation of the Congress. A party which was in power till 2015, and which ruled the state for the majority of its existence, the Congress’s dismal performance is a rude shock. Today nobody wants to fight on a Congress ticket in the state. With the state leadership failing to inspire the younger generation to vote for them, the Congress in Arunachal is looking bleak. The party will have to seriously introspect.