Arunachal Assembly Polls: Voting on April 19, counting on June 4

The last date of filing nominations is March 27 and last date of withdrawal of candidature is March 30

The Election Commission today announced the dates for election to the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Election.

Polling for the 60 assembly seats will be held in on April 19 and results will be declared on June 4.

If we speak about the Arunachal Assembly Election:

In 2019 the numbers were-
BJP- 41
JD (U)- 7
NPP-5 (including NPP’s Tirong aboh)
CONG-4
PPA-1
IND- 2

But after that the BJP only grew from strength to strength. Since 2020 till 2024, 14 MLAs from other parties including the opposition Congress, JD (U) and NPP jumped ship and joined the saffron party. This took BJP’s strength to 55 in the State Legislative Assembly.

In December 2020, Arunachal Pradesh witnessed the defection of at least 6 MLAs from JD (U) and the lone PPA MLA. The remaining JD (U) MLA joined BJP in 2022.

In 2024, just in the runup to the assembly election, 6 MLAs, 2 each from the NPP, 3 from the Congress and 1 Independent candidate have joined the Congress.

2020

Kalaktang- Dorjee Wangdi Kharma switched from JD (U) to BJP in December 2020
Bomdila- Dongru Siongju switched from JD (U) to BJP in December 2020
Chayangtajo- Hayeng Mangfi switched from JD (U) to BJP in December 2020
Tali- Jikke Tako switched from JD (U) to BJP in December 2020
Rumgong- Talem Aboh switched from JD (U) to BJP in December 2020
Mariyang-Geku- Kanggong Taku switched from JD (U) to BJP in December 2020

Out of the total 7 JDU MLAs elected in the 2019 Assembly election, the lone remaining JD (U) MLA from Itanagar- Techi Kaso switched to BJP in December 2022

In December, 2020 lone PPA MLA from Likabali Kardo Nyigyor also joined the BJP.

Nyigyor was elected as a MLA in 2017 bypoll as a BJP candidate from Likabali. He joined People’s Party of Arunachal in 2019. He was elected again as a MLA from Likabali in 2019 from the PPA.

2024

Basar- Gokar Basar switched from NPP to BJP on February 25
Roing- Mutchu Mithi switched from NPP to BJP on February 25
Paisghat West- Ninong Ering switched from Congress to BJP on February 25
Borduria-Bagapani- Wangling Lowangdong from Congress to BJP on February 25
Mebo- Lombo Tayeng switched from Congress to BJP on March 4. Tayeng was the CLP leader
Khonsa West- Chakat Aboh who was elected as an Independent candidate in the 2019 bypoll joined the BJP on March 4.

Chakat Aboh won the by-election as an Independent candidate in 2019 after the assassination of her husband and then Khonsa MLA Tirong Aboh. He was assassinated on May 21 and the results were announced on May 23. Following this in the bypolls held, the ruling BJP, and opposition Congress, JD(U), NPP and the PPA decided that none of them will field any candidate against Chakat Aboh and announced unanimous support for her.

PRESENT STRENGTH OF ARUNACHAL ASSEMBLY:
BJP-53
NPP-2
CONG-1
IND-1

On April 26, 2023 the Guwahati High Court’s Itanagar bench had declared the election of Dasanglu Pul, a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker in Arunachal Pradesh, null and void under the Representation of People Act for concealing information about her properties in her election affidavit.

Changlang South MLA Phosum Khimhun breathed his last after suffering a heart attack on March 9, 2024.

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