Gegong Apang in Janata Dal (Secular) first list

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Janata Dal (Secular), headed by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is ready to set its footprint in Arunachal Pradesh electoral politics for the first time with announcement of its first list of candidates on Sunday for the April 11 simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the State.

JD (S) State president Rokom Apang released the first list of 11 candidates for the Assembly elections along with one Lok Sabha candidate at the party office here.

The party has pitched Lama Lobsang Gyatso, a 39-year-old monk at the forefront of a movement against mega dams in Tawang district, from Mukto Assembly seat against Chief Minister Pema Khandu.

This will be the first time in four elections since 2004 that the seat would witness a contest.

The Longest serving Chief Minister of the State Gegong Apang, who is also the party’s convener for Northeast, is being fielded from Tuting-Yingkiong constituency in Upper Siang district. Apang, who served as the State’s Chief Minister for 23 years including 19 years in the Congress, had joined the BJP in 2014 and quit it recently.

The other candidates fielded by the party includes Tsering Dorjee (Tawang), Wangshu Wangsu (Longding-Pumao), Wangmaan Lowangcha (Khonsa East), Dr Rima Taipodia (Likabali), Nyadar Loya (Aalo West), Tapang Taloh (Pasighat West), Takam Paleng (Lekang), Shotike Hopak (Namsai) and Pike Pulu from Bordumsa-Diyun assembly constituency.

Bandey Mili had been fielded as the candidate for Arunachal East Parliamentary seat.

Also read: Arunachal news