BJP wins 41 seats in 60-member Arunachal Pradesh

The Bharatiya Janata Party has won 41 seats in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh assembly after results of all the constituencies were announced, an election official said on Saturday.

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Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh were held for 57 seats as three BJP candidates were earlier declared elected unopposed.

The Janata Dal-United won seven seats, the National People's Party five, the Congress four, the People's Party of Arunachal one and Independents two.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed, the official said.

In the Daporijo seat, the result of which was announced early this morning, BJP candidate Taniky Soki won the seat defeating his nearest Congress rival Togam Tamim.

BJP candidate Rode Bui bagged the Dumporijo seat defeating his nearest JD-U rival Gumjum Haider while Tarin Dakpe of the National People's Party won the Raga seat, the official said.

Counting of votes on Friday for Daporijo, Dumporijo and Raga constituencies in Upper Subansiri district was delayed as the counting officials went away from the counting centre without handing over the results for which counting could not be continued as per the guidelines.

However, it started after the polling officials returned and handed over the results, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kanki Darang said.

Among the prominent BJP winners are Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who won from the Mukto seat, bordering China, for third time in a row. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein won from the Chowkham constituency.

In Miao constituency, state Geology and Mining Minister and BJP nominee Kamlung Mossang beat Chatu Longai of the Congress by 3,856 votes to retain the seat.

The Namsang seat, which witnessed a multi-cornered contest, voted in favour of PHE minister and BJP nominee Wangki Lowang for the third time in a row.

In the prestigious Tawang seat, BJP candidate Tsering Tashi trounced veteran Congress leader Thupten Tempa by a margin of 3,592 votes.

Power minister and BJP candidate Tamiyo Taga tasted defeat at the hands of newcomer Talem Taboh of the JD-U in Rumgong, Assembly Speaker Tenzing Norbu Thongdok, who represented the Kalaktang constituency for two terms, failed to wrest the seat from JD-U greenhorn Dorjee Wangdi Kharma.

State Home Minister Kumar Waii, who quit the BJP to join the NPP, lost the Bameng assembly seat to newbie Gorduk Pordung of the saffron party.

The Congress won four seats but Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Takam Sanjoy lost to Jummum Ete Deori of the BJP in the Lekang seat.

The Leader of the Opposition in the outgoing assembly, Takam Pario of the Congress lost the Palin seat to the BJP's Balo Raja.