State Congress chief Nabam Tuki is set to lock horns with Union minister Kiren Rijiju in the Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat. The state will go for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the first phase on April 19.
Former chief minister Tuki currently represents Sagalee constituency in Papumpare district as MLA, having been elected for six consecutive terms. The Congress on Thursday announced Tuki's candidacy along with Bosiram Siram, the APCC vice-president, who will be contesting from Arunachal East Parliamentary seat against BJP nominee Tapir Gao.
Tuki, who lost the Arunachal West seat to Rijiju in 2019, is confident of victory this time, citing a growing desire for change among the electorate. "People want a change and public mood is changing against Rijiju. He is facing a strong anti-incumbency wave," Tuki said.
"My focus will be on employment generation," he added. BJP had won both Lok Sabha seats in the last elections. While Rijiju won the seat by a margin of 1,74,843 votes, Gao won by a margin of 68,189 votes defeating his nearest rival Wangman Lowangcha of Congress. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP bagged 41 seats, JD(U) won seven, NPP (5), Congress (4), PPA (1) and two seats were bagged by Independents.
Counting of votes for assembly polls will be held on June 2 and for Lok Sabha elections on June 4. The BJP has declared candidates for all 60 assembly seats, Congress has announced nominees for 34 seats and the NCP so far has declared 17 candidates.
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