Arunachal West Lok Sabha Constituency: BJP’s Kiren Rijiju and Congress’Nabam Tuki in poll fray

Arunachal will have simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the first phase on April 19 (Friday) from 8 am to 5 pm.

Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat: Congress candidate Nabam Tuki to challenge sitting MP Kiren Rijiju.

Arunachal Pradesh has two parliamentary constituencies: Arunachal East and Arunachal West. Arunachal will have simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the first phase on April 19 (Friday). The voting process will start at 8 am and will conclude at 5 pm. The northeastern state has 60 assembly constituencies. Counting of votes for assembly polls will be held on June 2 and for Lok Sabha elections on June 4.

Key Candidates from Arunachal West Lok Sabha Constituency:

Kiren Rijiju, BJP

Union minister Kiren Rijiju is contesting from the Arunachal West seat. The 52-year-old has represented the constituency thrice since 2004. Rijiju holds the Cabinet portfolio of Earth and Sciences in the NDA government since 2023. Earlier, he served as the Minister of State for Home Affairs from 2014 to 2019. He also served as the Law Minister from 2021 to 2023.

In the 2014 election, Rijiju won the election from the Arunachal West constituency. In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, BJP candidate Rijiju secured a landslide victory over Congress’ Nabam Tuki from the Arunachal West constituency.

Nabam Tuki, Congress

Rijiju’s main rival is former chief minister and present president of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Nabam Tuki.

The state Congress chief Tuki currently represents Sagalee constituency in Papumpare district as MLA, having been elected for six consecutive terms.

Tuki, who lost the Arunachal West seat to Rijiju in 2019, is confident of victory this time, citing a growing desire for change among the electorate.

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“People want a change and public mood is changing against Rijiju. He is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave,” Tuki said.

“My focus will be on employment generation,” he added.

BJP had won both Lok Sabha seats in the last elections.