Alternatives to the Congress

In a first of its kind, Itanagar MLA Techi Kaso, who is the lone JD (U) MLA, declared on Monday that the party will sit in opposition in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) as it has failed to get the required majority. In the just concluded IMC election, no party managed to get a majority. The JD (U) won 9 seats, the BJP 10 and the NPP 1. The NPP is expected to extend support and has made its intention clear. Usually in Arunachal, every politician wants to be a part of the ruling system.

The JD (U) with nine corporators had the opportunity to form an alliance with the BJP as both the parties are already part of the NDA. Therefore the announcement of Kaso caught everyone by surprise. But it is pleasing to see a politician humbly accepting the verdict of the people and readying to occupy the seat of opposition. One of the main reasons for the backwardness of Arunachal is the lack of strong opposition parties. The Congress is almost nonexistent. The party has failed to make any impact in the just concluded panchayat and municipal elections. It also failed to play the role of effective opposition in the state. Parties like the JD (U) and the NPP are slowly emerging as alternatives to the Congress in the state.