Lok Sabha and Assembly election in Arunachal on April 9

Itanagar, April 8: Simultaneous elections will be held in

on April 9 for two Lok Sabha seats and 49 of the 60 Assembly seats.

The two seats, Western and Eastern parliamentary constituencies, will witness a multi-cornered contest among Congress, BJP, NCP, PPA and independents. Among the eight candidates in the Western seat are Congress nominee and sitting MP Takam Sanjoy locking horns with former MP Kiren Rijiju, a BJP nominee.

In the Eastern Parliamentary seat, Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs Ninong Ering of Congress is contesting against BJP nominee Tapir Gao and Wangman Lowangcha on a People's Party of Arunachal ticket.

Arunachal to vote for two Lok Sabha seats and 49 of the 60 Assembly seats

Both the Lok Sabha seats have been won by the Congress since 1975, but for 2004 when it was won by the BJP for the first time. Altogether 155 candidates including 5 women are in the fray for 49 of the 60 Assembly seats in the state.

The main contest will be between Congress and BJP. New entrant Naga Peoples' Front (NPF) along with PPA and NCP would also give a formidable fight in several Assembly seats of the state. The ruling Congress has already opened its account by securing 11 Assembly seats uncontested including Chief Minister Nabam Tuki from Sagalee constituency.

An electorate of 7,53,170 including 3,77,272 women will be eligible to vote in 2,158 polling stations in the state. An additional 20 companies of central paramilitary forces besides 24 existing companies have been deployed as also 8000 policemen.

PTI