BJP sweeps elections in Arunachal, returns to power for 3rd time

Itanagar: The BJP on Sunday returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh 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.

In sweeping the assem bly elections, t h e counting of which was held during the day, 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 Independent candidates. Chief Minister Pema Khandu asserted that the momentum of what happened in the ‘Land of the rising sun', a sobriquet for Arunachal Pradesh, will spread to other parts of the country on June 4 when votes for the Lok Sabha elections will be counted.

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. (PTI)