Peoples’ Party of Arunachal nominates Mangal Yomso for Arunachal East Parliamentary seat

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: With elections date in Arunachal Pradesh drawing close, many political leaders in the State who, have been denied party tickets, have seen hobnobbing with other parties to get tickets to contest the April 11 simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.

While several sitting BJP MLAs and contender for party tickets have already joined the National Peoples’ Party (NPP), Janata Dal United (JDU), Janata Dal Secular (JDS) or the Congress, many former MLAs have opted for the Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA), the lone regional party from the State, as their last resort.

Discontented with the unresponsive attitude of the central leadership, the Arunachal Pradesh unit of Republican Party of India (RPI) president Mangal Yomso on Friday joined the PPA.

“Yomso has been already nominated as the PPA official MP candidate to contest from Arunachal East Parliamentary constituency,” PPA chairman Kamen Ringu told reporters at the Arunachal Press Club (APC) here on Friday.

Advocate Subu Kechi will be the party’s MP candidate from Arunachal West seat.

The RPI, led by union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, on March 16 gave nod to the list of 12 candidates including, one for Lok Sabha, submitted by Yomso but on March 20, called back the list citing technical problem, Yomso informed.

“I have waited till yesterday for approval of the list by the central leadership. However, with only a day left for filing nominations as March 23 and 24 are holidays, I decided to resign from the party and formally joined the PPA today keeping in mind the regional approach of the party,” Yomso said.

March 25 is the last date for filing papers. “The eleven candidates who were vying for RPI tickets have already joined in other parties,” he added.

The Arunachal East Parliamentary seat is all set to witness a triangular contest between ruling BJP candidate Tapir Gao, Congress nominee Jamens L Wanglat and Yomso.

The PPA had already announced the first list of candidates with sitting BJP MLA Kardo Nigyor to contest from Likabali constituency. The party also fielded former MLAs Tara Payang (Taliha) and Nido Pavitra from Raga Assembly constituency.

The party had nominated six new faces including Tsepa Wangchu Khamba (Tuting), Ennong Ering (Pasighat East), Ani Moyong (Mariyang Geku), Chawang Lowang (Borduria Bogapani), Chiknga Wangpan (Longding Pumao) and Longwang Wangham from Pangchao Wakka constituency.

Also read: Arunachal news