As the election fervor grips Arunachal Pradesh, a total of 133 candidates are vying for victory across the 50 assembly constituencies, scheduled for polling on April 19, officials revealed on Sunday.
The ruling BJP has already secured 10 seats uncontested out of the 60-member assembly, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu and two first-time candidates, Ratu Techi from Sagalee and Hage Appa from the Ziro-Hapoli seat.
Fielding candidates in all 50 seats up for grabs, the BJP faces opposition primarily from the Congress, contesting 19 seats. Other key contenders include the Meghalaya-based NPP in 20 seats, NCP in 14 seats, People’s Party of Arunachal in 11 seats, Arunachal Democratic Party in four seats, and Lok Janashakti Party in one seat. Additionally, 14 Independent candidates are also in the fray.
With 80 first-time candidates, Congress leads the pack with 17 new faces, followed by BJP with 14, and NPP with 16 fresh nominees.
While the state boasts eight women candidates, marking a notable increase from previous elections, it remains modest compared to national averages. BJP fields four female candidates, Congress three, and an independent candidate also joins the fray.
Simultaneously, the state will witness polling for two Lok Sabha seats, with 14 candidates in contention. Arunachal West constituency sees eight candidates, while six vie for the Arunachal East seat. A total of 8,86,848 eligible voters will participate in these elections.
Among the logistical details, the state has 2,226 polling booths, including 228 accessible only on foot. Moreover, 480 booths face connectivity challenges, while 588 are deemed critical and 443 are vulnerable.
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Highlighting specific polling stations, CEO Pawan Kumar Sain mentioned Polling station No 2-Pumao Primary School in Longding assembly constituency, housing the highest number of voters at 1,462, while Malogam temporary structure in Malogam village in Hayuliang constituency has only one voter.
Additionally, Polling station No 18-Luguthang in Mukto constituency, located at an altitude of 13,383 ft, stands as the state’s highest polling station.
The tallying of assembly votes is set for June 2, while Lok Sabha votes will be counted on June 4, aligning with the national schedule.
