Itanagar: The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) has announced to field one Leki Norbu as its official candidate for the February 27 by-poll to 1-Lumla assembly constituency.
The by-election was necessitated following the death of incumbent BJP MLA Jambey Tashi.
Norbu (37) is native of Zemineng village in Tawang district and is a former gaon bura (village chief).
Addressing media persons at the party headquarters here on Tuesday, PPA president Khafa Bengia clarified that the announcement of candidature for the Lumla by-election from his party is not to dishonour or disrespect late Tashi and his family.
“The announcement of candidature is solely an effort of the PPA to avail the constitutional rights as framed by the election commission. The prime objective of our party is to fill the vacant seat with a local resident from the constituency as several needs of the locals have gone unheard during in past tenures,” Bengia said.
The PPA president said Norbu has served as a gaon bura of Zemineng village for the past 12 years, hence there is no doubt regarding his passion to serve the public.
“He knows the pulse and sufferings of the people. Therefore, the public from the Lumla constituency, as well as the state, should support such leaders and not those with wealth and property,” he said.
Party general secretary Kaling Jernag said that the PPA, unlike the yesteryears, will field candidates in every assembly and parliamentary seat in the future.
“The announcement of Norbu as our candidate for the Lumla by-election is the beginning of our commitment towards the welfare of the people of the state. The elections are an opportunity for positive leaders to work for a social change and put an end to the corruption prevailing in the state under the BJP-led government. Therefore, the people should give their mandate to the PPA leaders for the overall development of the state,” Jerang said.
Jerang further said that his party is of the opinion that everybody should be given an equal opportunity when it comes to contesting in the elections.
“A single-family cannot be ruling a constituency for decades. We are taking this by-election as a war against nepotism and corruption,” he added.
Meanwhile, Norbu said his main intent to contest the by-election is to bring all around development in the Lumla constituency, especially in the connectivity front.
He claimed that the funds provided by the state government have never been fully utilized for development and other public services.
“Almost every subsidy in government schemes is availed by the ruling party workers instead of the commoners. Also most of the funds meant for infrastructural development in the constituency are being misused,” Norbu said.
He further informed that he wanted to contest the 2019 elections from the Congress, but he unfortunately got no positive response from the party.
I therefore, opted for PPA as it is the only regional party of the state, he said.
Norbu said political leaders from the Lumla constituency have a record that no one has backed- off from contesting the election after filing the candidature.
Hence, as a contesting candidate of the PPA, I want to assure everyone that I will never back-off from my candidature and shall remain loyal to the party,” he said.
The last date for filing of nominations for the by-poll has been fixed on February 07.
The scrutiny of papers would take place on February 08 while the last date of withdrawals of candidatures has been fixed for February 10 next. The counting of votes would take place on March 02.
A total of 9,169 voters, including 4,712 women, are eligible to cast their votes in 33 polling booths in the constituency.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the BJP would be fielding Tsering Lhamu, Late Tashi’s wife for the by-poll.
Also read: Arunachal: Lumla assembly seat by-election on February 27
