ITANAGAR, Oct 15: Notwithstanding Chinese claims on Arunachal Pradesh, the State witnessed one of the best voter turnouts in Assembly polls of recent times with about 75 per cent of its citizens casting their votes to elect a new government. However, not less than 13,622 (minus two booths in Nacho Assembly segment) of Arunachal’s electorates are yet to exercise their adult franchise officially, courtesy disruption in poll process by unruly elements on October 13 forcing election authorities to recommend repoll in 34 polling stations across 16 Assembly constituencies.
The dates of repoll, however, is yet to be decided by the Election Commission.
According to latest information from the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) here this evening, interestingly, most of the commotions and violence that disrupted the polls are confined to Arunachal West Parliamentary segment that comprises 36 Assembly constituencies. Except for six polling stations in four of the remaining 24 constituencies that fall under Arunachal East polling was completed successfully as scheduled. Repoll has been recommended in two polling booths in Kanubari and one each in Longding-Pumao and Pongchou-Wakka Assembly constituencies of Arunachal East.
The worst-affected constituency is Palin in Kurung Kumey district where repoll has been ordered in six polling stations. This is a constituency, which has been witnessing a political turmoil between BJP-turned-INC MLA Balo Raja and Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy.
Raja defeated Sanjoy, the then sitting MLA, contesting as a BJP nominee in 2004.
While Sanjoy was recuperating in the APCC ranks, Raja successfully made inroads into the Congress camp along with 11 of his BJP compatriots. This left two MLA aspirants from the same party from the same constituency, which was supposedly resolved when Sanjoy got elected as a Lok Sabha MP in 2008. But trouble brewed when Sanjoy’s brother Takam Tagar emerged as a replacement to Sanjoy and played all cards to garner a Congress ticket to contest this election.
The Congress, however, gave the ticket to Raja in the eleventh hour, which forced Tagar to challenge the decision on a PPA ticket. To make the battle more interesting, the NCP fielded Charu Tanam to play spoilsport to both the warring heavyweights and may be walk away with the trophy.
With the fate almost sealed, the vote of 1,046 electorates of the four polling stations where repolling has been ordered would be crucial. While Kamrung is reportedly a Raja stronghold, the rest can be expected to favour Tagar.
The other strongly fought constituency is Raga in Lower Subansiri, which has an equal number of polling stations slated for repoll. At least 1,730 people of the four polling stations would decide the fates of Nido Pavitra (INC), Talo Mugli (AITC) and Aath Tacho Kabak (NCP). While veteran leader Mugli belongs to the Congress camp originally, he had to switch over to AITC to keep his MLA aspirations alive after denied the INC ticket. Kabak, by the way, is one of the most original of NCP members in the State and an old-hand in State politics. His only problem is that he is yet to break the jinx of losing each time he fought an election.
Both the BJP and the INC, which are against each other in a straight fight from Dumporijo Assembly constituency, would die to get the 1,162 votes yet to be accounted for in four polling stations where repoll has been recommended. Sitting MLA and Deputy Speaker Takar Marde is facing a well-poised challenge from BJP warhorse Lompak Paksok. If the BJP’s words are to be believed, Paksok has been hounded by the ruling party in connivance with government authorities. It has even complained that its candidate has been detained by the police without reason when he ventured to sort out a commotion instigated by Congress supporters.
At Daporijo Assembly constituency in Upper Subansiri two polling booths with total voters of 803 are scheduled for repoll. This constituency is facing a five-cornered contest with INC’s Yari Dulom leading the pack followed by sitting MLA Daklo Nidak re-contesting on an AITC format. Last election he had contested as an Arunachal Congress (AC) nominee. Other major contenders are veteran Tapen Siga of BJP, former students leader Maji Marjing of NCP and new-comer Takir Kurdu of JDU.
Kanubari has senior journalist Gabriel D Wangsu (PPA) against sitting MLA and Cabinet minister Newlai Tingkhatra (INC) in a straight fight. From Chayangtajo Karya Bagang, wife of Tara Bagang, arch rival of senior politician and sitting MLA Kameng Dolo, is giving a tough time to INC contesting on a AITC ticket.
THE SENTINEL
The dates of repoll, however, is yet to be decided by the Election Commission.
According to latest information from the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) here this evening, interestingly, most of the commotions and violence that disrupted the polls are confined to Arunachal West Parliamentary segment that comprises 36 Assembly constituencies. Except for six polling stations in four of the remaining 24 constituencies that fall under Arunachal East polling was completed successfully as scheduled. Repoll has been recommended in two polling booths in Kanubari and one each in Longding-Pumao and Pongchou-Wakka Assembly constituencies of Arunachal East.
The worst-affected constituency is Palin in Kurung Kumey district where repoll has been ordered in six polling stations. This is a constituency, which has been witnessing a political turmoil between BJP-turned-INC MLA Balo Raja and Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy.
Raja defeated Sanjoy, the then sitting MLA, contesting as a BJP nominee in 2004.
While Sanjoy was recuperating in the APCC ranks, Raja successfully made inroads into the Congress camp along with 11 of his BJP compatriots. This left two MLA aspirants from the same party from the same constituency, which was supposedly resolved when Sanjoy got elected as a Lok Sabha MP in 2008. But trouble brewed when Sanjoy’s brother Takam Tagar emerged as a replacement to Sanjoy and played all cards to garner a Congress ticket to contest this election.
The Congress, however, gave the ticket to Raja in the eleventh hour, which forced Tagar to challenge the decision on a PPA ticket. To make the battle more interesting, the NCP fielded Charu Tanam to play spoilsport to both the warring heavyweights and may be walk away with the trophy.
With the fate almost sealed, the vote of 1,046 electorates of the four polling stations where repolling has been ordered would be crucial. While Kamrung is reportedly a Raja stronghold, the rest can be expected to favour Tagar.
The other strongly fought constituency is Raga in Lower Subansiri, which has an equal number of polling stations slated for repoll. At least 1,730 people of the four polling stations would decide the fates of Nido Pavitra (INC), Talo Mugli (AITC) and Aath Tacho Kabak (NCP). While veteran leader Mugli belongs to the Congress camp originally, he had to switch over to AITC to keep his MLA aspirations alive after denied the INC ticket. Kabak, by the way, is one of the most original of NCP members in the State and an old-hand in State politics. His only problem is that he is yet to break the jinx of losing each time he fought an election.
Both the BJP and the INC, which are against each other in a straight fight from Dumporijo Assembly constituency, would die to get the 1,162 votes yet to be accounted for in four polling stations where repoll has been recommended. Sitting MLA and Deputy Speaker Takar Marde is facing a well-poised challenge from BJP warhorse Lompak Paksok. If the BJP’s words are to be believed, Paksok has been hounded by the ruling party in connivance with government authorities. It has even complained that its candidate has been detained by the police without reason when he ventured to sort out a commotion instigated by Congress supporters.
At Daporijo Assembly constituency in Upper Subansiri two polling booths with total voters of 803 are scheduled for repoll. This constituency is facing a five-cornered contest with INC’s Yari Dulom leading the pack followed by sitting MLA Daklo Nidak re-contesting on an AITC format. Last election he had contested as an Arunachal Congress (AC) nominee. Other major contenders are veteran Tapen Siga of BJP, former students leader Maji Marjing of NCP and new-comer Takir Kurdu of JDU.
Kanubari has senior journalist Gabriel D Wangsu (PPA) against sitting MLA and Cabinet minister Newlai Tingkhatra (INC) in a straight fight. From Chayangtajo Karya Bagang, wife of Tara Bagang, arch rival of senior politician and sitting MLA Kameng Dolo, is giving a tough time to INC contesting on a AITC ticket.
THE SENTINEL
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