Modi Thanks Arunachal for BJP, NPP Victory

 Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Arunachal Pradesh after the BJP returned to power in the state for the third time in a row, winning 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly, and bagging four more seats compared to its 2019 tally.

“Thank you Arunachal Pradesh! The people of this wonderful state have given an unequivocal mandate to politics of development. My gratitude to them for reposing their faith in @BJP4Arunachalyet again. Our Party will keep working with even greater vigour for the state's growth, Modi said in a post on X.

The counting in Arunachal Pradesh began with the BJP winning 10 seats unopposed. In sweeping the polls, the BJP decimated the Opposition parties, especially the Congress which was relegated to the fifth position with only one seat after NPP (5), NCP (3) and PPA (2). Three seats went to Independents. The BJP had fielded candidates in all 60 seats, while the Congress contested in only 19 seats.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu asserted that the momentum of what happened in the ‘Land of the rising sun’, will spread to other parts of the country on June 4.

Khandu himself won uncontested from the Mukto assembly constituency. Nine other BJP candidates also tasted victory unopposed.

Arunachal Pradesh RWD minister Honchung Ngandam and Tourism Minister Nakap Nalo were among the 46 BJP candidates who have won the assembly polls.

Tesam Pongte of the BJP won from Changlang North, defeating his nearest rival Dihom Kitnya of the NPP by a margin of 2,002 votes, while the party’s candidate Wangki Lowang won from Namsang seat, defeating his nearest rival Ngonglin Boi of NCP by 56 votes.

Balo Raja of the BJP won from Palin constituency, defeating his nearest rival Mayu Taring of the NPP by 5,040 votes.

Hayeng Mangfi of the BJP won from Chayang-Tajo seat, defeating his nearest rival Kompu Dolo of the Congress by a margin of 6,685 votes. Mangfi retained the seat.

Chakat Aboh of the BJP won from Khonsa West by defeating her nearest rival Yang Sen Matey of the NCP by 804 votes — retaining the seat.

BJP’s Tsering Lhamu won from Lumla constituency defeating her nearest rival Jampa Thirnly Kunkhap of Congress by a margin of 1,531 votes. Lhamu retained the seat.

Puinnyo Apum of the BJP won from the Dambuk constituency, defeating his nearest rival, Raju Tayeng of the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA), by a margin of 222 votes.

BJP candidate Rode Bui won the Dumporijo seat, defeating his opponent Tabe Doni of NPP, by 1,591 votes. Bui retained the seat.

Ealing Tallang of BJP won from Seppa East seat, defeating Tame Gyadi of Congress by 5,600 votes. BJP's Mahesh Chai won the Tezu-Sunpura seat defeating NPP candidate Karikho Kri by a margin of 2,805 votes.

Rotom Tebin of the BJP won from Raga constituency defeating Ajay Murtem of NPP by 2,934 votes. The NPP candidate Pesi Jilen won from Liromoba defeating his opponent Nyamar Karbak of BJP by a margin of 1,698 votes.

To a question regarding the formation of the new ministry, Khandu said that after the Lok Sabha polls counting on June 4, all the winning candidates of the party would convene a meeting where the chief ministerial candidate would be decided.

BJP is a disciplined party. The party will select the leader with consensus from all elected candidates, Khandu said.

While the BJP's vote share is 54.57 per cent, as many as 14 party candidates including Education Minister Taba Tedir, were defeated this time. The minister was defeated by NCP nominee Toko Tatung, a greenhorn, in the Yachuli constituency.