The BJP has secured victories in over 6,000 of the total 8,208 gram panchayat seats in the recent local polls in Arunachal Pradesh.
In the zilla parishad seats as well, the party won 170 out of 245 seats, including 44 seats where candidates were elected unopposed. However, this number may not be entirely to the BJP’s liking, as it is lower than what the party would have ideally expected to win.
In the Itanagar Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP won 14 of the 20 seats, while NDA partners NCP and LJP won five seats between them. One seat went to an independent candidate, giving the BJP another opportunity to dominate the corporation.
In the Pasighat Municipal Council elections, however, the party performed poorly, winning only two out of eight seats. The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) won five seats, while one seat was secured by an independent candidate. Pasighat is represented by the PPA, and this was reflected in the local poll results.
The party may need to brainstorm ways to consolidate its position ahead of the 2029 Assembly elections. Nevertheless, the BJP performed well overall across the state.
With this clear mandate, the BJP should now focus on strengthening local bodies and ensuring that adequate funds are allocated to them. As many leaders will be assuming office for the first time, the government should ensure that they receive proper training, and that key issues requiring priority attention are clearly identified.