For Arunachal CM and 5 others from BJP, assembly polls are a no contest

In 2019, Khandu won from Mukto with a 70.74% vote share, beating Thupten Kunphen of the Congress.

Pani Taram, who joined the BJP earlier this year, is the only candidate from Koloriang, the Assembly seat he won in 2014 on a People’s Party of Arunachal ticket. He later joined the National People’s Party and lost to the BJP’s Lokam Tassar in the last election.

In the Roing Assembly seat, sitting MLA Mutchu Mithi, who had joined the BJP last month, is the only candidate.  In the Tali Assembly constituency, sitting Jikke Take, who joined the BJP along with five other JDU MLAs in 2020, is the only candidate.

In Taliha seat, BJP’s sitting MLA Nyato Rigia is the only candidate while Ratu Techi, a former PWD engineer who recently joined the BJP, is the only candidate from Sagalee, an Assembly constituency represented by former chief minister and Congress leader Nabam Tuki.

The Congress has fielded Tuki from Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat in the April 19 elections.

In the 2019 elections, the BJP had won 41 seats, JDU 7, National People’s Party (NPP) 5 and Congress 4 in the 60-member Assembly.

The scrutiny of nominations will be held on March 28 and March 30 is the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers.