10 of 11 Defected MLAs Secure Victories for BJP in Arunachal Pradesh Assembly Polls
In the 2019 Arunachal Pradesh assembly elections, ten of the eleven MLAs who had originally won their seats on Congress and other party tickets but later defected to the BJP have secured significant victories running on the saffron party’s tickets. Opposition parties have claimed that these defections were a result of BJP’s intimidation tactics aimed at seat retention. However, BJP’s Arunachal Pradesh in-charge, Ashok Singhal, refuted these claims, asserting that the MLAs joined the BJP voluntarily, attracted by the party’s fulfillment of the state’s aspirations.
Among the notable winners were former Union minister Ninong Ering (Pasighat West) and Wanglin Lowangdong (Borduria-Bogapani), both of whom were Congress MLAs in the previous assembly. Contrarily, former Congress legislature party leader Lombo Tayeng, who also defected to the BJP, was defeated in the Mebo constituency by Oken Tayeng of the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA).
In addition, Hayeng Mangfi, who switched allegiance from JDU to BJP in 2020 along with five other JDU MLAs, won from the Chayangtajo constituency. Jikke Tako, one of these MLAs, secured a BJP ticket and won uncontested from the Tali constituency. Talem Taboh, who also shifted loyalty from JDU to BJP, emerged victorious from the Rumgong constituency. Dongru Siongju (Bomdila), another of the five defectors, also won uncontested.
These victories highlight the successful transition of these MLAs to the BJP, reflecting a broader trend of political realignment in Arunachal Pradesh.
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