BJP Triumphs in Arunachal Pradesh Local Elections: A New Era of Governance?
BJP's Dominance in Local Elections
Itanagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has achieved a remarkable victory in the local body elections held in Arunachal Pradesh, winning a significant number of seats in both the Zilla Parishads and Gram Panchayats on December 15, as reported by officials on Sunday.
In the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) elections, the BJP claimed victory in 14 out of 20 wards. Meanwhile, the regional People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) secured five of the eight wards in the Pasighat Municipal Council (PMC), with the BJP winning two and an Independent candidate taking one. The Congress party did not manage to secure any seats in either the IMC or PMC elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the BJP's strong showing in these local elections.
In a message posted on X, he expressed gratitude to the people of Arunachal Pradesh for their unwavering support for good governance, stating, “This strengthens our resolve to keep working for the state’s transformation.”
Chief Minister Pema Khandu also thanked the voters for their overwhelming support for the BJP.
He remarked, “I am grateful to the people of Arunachal Pradesh for their faith in our party. My heartfelt thanks to our dedicated party workers whose efforts made this historic victory possible.”
Khandu celebrated the victory at the state BJP office in Itanagar, alongside state party president Kaling Moyong and other party members, where newly elected corporators and Zilla Parishad Members (ZPMs) were honored.
He also acknowledged the State Election Commission (SEC) for conducting the elections smoothly, despite the challenges posed by the region's difficult terrain. “Sincere gratitude to State Election Commissioner Rinchin Tashi and the entire SEC team,” he added.
According to the final results released by the SEC late Sunday, the BJP won 170 out of 245 Zilla Parishad seats, including 59 uncontested, showcasing its dominance at the district level.
The PPA emerged as the second-largest party with 28 seats, while the Congress managed to secure only seven.
The National People’s Party (NPP), led by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, won five seats, including one uncontested, while Independents and other candidates collectively won 23 seats.
In the Gram Panchayat elections, the BJP continued its strong performance, winning 6,085 out of 8,208 seats, with 5,211 of those victories being uncontested. The PPA secured 648 seats, including 386 uncontested, while Independents won 627 seats, with 280 being uncontested.
The Congress party won 216 Gram Panchayat seats, including 111 uncontested, while the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) claimed 396 seats, with 159 uncontested victories. The NPP secured 160 seats, including 81 uncontested, while the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) won 27 seats, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) managed to secure one seat.
SEC Secretary Taru Talo noted that the results for 47 Gram Panchayat seats were determined by a draw of lots due to ties, while 45 seats remained vacant for various reasons, including lack of nominations and rejected candidatures.
At the BJP headquarters in Itanagar, state president Kaling Moyong addressed party workers, stating that the election results reflect the public's continued trust in the party's development-focused governance.
He emphasized that under the leadership of Chief Minister Khandu, the electorate has shown pro-incumbency, endorsing the party's policies aimed at benefiting the people and ensuring transparent administration.