7 prominent losers in the April 11 Arunachal Assembly polls
Our Correspondent
Itanagar: As many as seven sitting MLAs including three Cabinet ministers, Assembly Speaker and the Opposition leader tasted defeat in the April 11 Arunachal Assembly polls, counting of which was conducted on Thursday.
What came as a shocker is the defeat of present Home Minister Kumar Waii, who was defeated by BJP nominee Goruk Pordug, a new comer in Bameng seat, which Waii represented for the last three consecutive terms since 2004.
Waii was re-seeking election to the seat in a National People’s Party (NPP) ticket.
Waii won from the seat in 2004 and 2009 as Congress candidate while he elected unopposed from the seat in 2014 as a Congress nominee.
Another setback for the ruling BJP in the State is the defeat of Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok against Janata Dal United candidate Dorjee Wangdi Kharma, a new comer in the state’s electoral scene from Kalaktang constituency in West Kameng district.
Thongdok represented the seat for two consecutive terms since 2009 as Congress nominee.
Two sitting ministers of the ruling BJP also faced defeat this time including Dr Mohesh Chai from Tezu seat and Tamiyo Taga from Rumgong constituency.
Chair represented the constituency for two terms since 2009 while Taga represented the seat for three terms.
Senior Congress leader Tanga Byaling, who represented Nacho seat in Upper Subansiri district since 2004 consecutively from Congress had to have a bitter experience this time as he was defeated by a new comer Nakap Nalo (BJP). Byaling also served as cabinet minister in various capacities in the Jarbom Gamlin, Nabam Tuki and Kalikho Pul governments including as the home minister.
Opposition Leader Takam Pario (Congress) who won consecutively from Palin seat since 2009, had to surrender before Balo Raja of BJP, who is also a former MLA from the constituency.
Tatung Jamoh, who won from Pasighat West constituency in East Siang district for two terms since 2009 as BJP candidate, was defeated this time by Congress nominee Ninong Ering.
Ering was elected as the Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal East Parliamentary seat in 2014 and also remained as MLA from the assembly constituency once.
Also read: Arunachal news
