Guwahati: Aiming to tackle the present situation in Arunachal Pradesh triggered by the Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) issue and continue its winning spree in the northeastern region, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded few new faces for the Assembly elections in the state.

The BJP on Sunday had declared the names of the party candidates for 54 seats in the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly.

Also read: BJP announces list of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh Assembly election candidates

Among the candidates few are new faces while 13 sitting MLAs including three Cabinet ministers were dropped.

The BJP’s decision to field new faces could be the party’s template for other states too.

Arunachal Pradesh home minister Kumar Waii, health minister Jomde Kena, tourism minister Jarkar Gamlin and 10 other sitting MLAs were denied party tickets this time.

The BJP's state general secretary Jarpum Gamlin was also denied a ticket, which led him to resign from primary membership of the party. Embed his resignation letter. Anindya has given it in the group.

Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu will contest from his home constituency Mukto in Tawang district, bordering China.

Also read: Arunachal Pradesh to junk PRC given to 6 communities after violent protests break out

Since 2004 Assembly elections, the Mukto Assembly constituency has a history of the MLAs being elected without contest.

Khandu, heading the BJP-led state government since December 2016, was elected unopposed from the constituency in 2014 and in 2011 by-election too. Khandu’s father and former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Dorjee Khandu died in a helicopter crash in April 2011.

Khandu is facing this time with the Janata Dal (Secular) candidate Lama Lobsang Gyatso, an anti-dam activist and a Buddhist monk.

His brother Tsering Tashi and cousin Jambey Tashi (sitting MLAs) are the BJP candidates for the two other seats in Tawang district – Tawang and Lumla.

On the other hand, deputy chief minister Chowna will contest from Chowkham seat instead of the Lekang Assembly constituency which he has been representing for five times since 1995.

Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul’s wife Dasanglu Pul will contest from the Hayuliang Assembly seat. She had won the seat in the 2016 by-election.

Recently Arunachal Pradesh turned turmoil over the PRCs issue as the state government want to grant the Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) to six communities living in Namsai and Changlang districts since several decades.

The BJP came to power in the northeastern frontier state bordering China after a majority of Congress MLAs deserted the party and joined the BJP.