Guwahati: The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly election is only a fortnight away, but the BJP already finds itself on the score sheet, having won two MLA seats uncontested. It will, however, have to wait till March 28 for a formal announcement.

Kiren Rijiju, Union minister of state for home affairs and BJP candidate from the Arunachal West Lok Sabha seat, claimed that two BJP candidates have been elected unopposed.

Rijiju tweeted, “BJP scored first victory! BJP MLA candidate Shri Kento Jini from 31-Aalo East Constituency in Arunachal Pradesh is elected unopposed.”

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Rijiju added, “One more victory for BJP! Shri Taba Tedir becomes the second BJP MLA candidate to get elected unopposed from 16-Yachuli Assembly Constituency in Arunachal Pradesh.”

Arunachal Pradesh chief electoral officer Kaling Tayeng revealed that only two candidates had filed nominations for the Aalo East Assembly seat.


Kento Jini, who won from Aalo East


Taba Tedir, who won from Yachuli

“After scrutiny, the nomination paper of Indian National Congress candidate Minkir Lollen was rejected and Kento Jini was the only eligible candidate,” Tayeng said.

Similarly, two candidates had filed nominations for the Yachuli Assembly constituency and the nomination paper of the Janata Dal (United) candidate Toko Yaram was rejected and Tedir was the only candidate left.

The Arunachal Pradesh chief electoral officer added that the Election Commission will officially declare the two BJP candidates as having won without a contest only after the last date of withdrawal of nomination papers on March 28.

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The election for the 60-member Arunachal Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha polls for two seats will be held on April 11.

Recently, 20 BJP leaders, including two cabinet ministers — home minister Kumar Waii and tourism minister Jarkar Gamlin — and nine sitting MLAs joined the National People’s Party (NPP) led by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma.