New Delhi: The role of armed militants in influencing elections in Arunachal Pradesh came to the limelight once again with supporters and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National People’s Party (NPP) entering into a fierce gun battle in the north-eastern state’s Longding district a day before voting.
According to local news reports, at least 20 people were injured in poll-related violence in the Longding Pumao assembly constituency. NPP candidate Thangwang Wangkham is locked in a close fight with the BJP candidate Tangpo Wagnaw in that assembly segment.
Besides two Lok Sabha seats, 60 assembly seats of Arunachal Pradesh are witnessing polling in a single phase today (April 19). The ruling BJP is attempting a return to power both in the parliamentary seats and in the state.
As per news reports quoting witnesses on the ground, the exchange of fire between the supporters and workers of the two parties on the evening of April 18 stemmed from “the BJP’s alleged attempts, in collaboration with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) to seize control of a polling booth ahead of the impending voting.”
An Arunachal Times report said at least 20 people received serious injuries in the gun fight and “were taken to hospital”.
Various factions of the militant outfit, the NSCN, have been active in the districts of Arunachal Pradesh that border Myanmar, including Longding. During the 2019 assembly polls, NSCN, which is in peace talks with the Narendra Modi government since 2015, was named by the Arunachal Police for trying to intimidate voters and candidates in favour of political parties.
In the last assembly elections, NSCN (Issac-Muivah) rebels had also gunned down a candidate belonging to the NPP along with ten others, spreading panic among common people.
According to news reports, on April 17, suspected militants from the banned NSCN KY-A faction abducted at gunpoint a gram panchayat chairman and a member of the BJP, Sangam Wangsu, post-midnight. Reports said the NSCN’s KY-A faction has been “intimidating voters” to support the NPP in the run-up to the polls.
An Arunachal Times report said a letter was circulated in the Longkhaw village council areas by a self-styled ‘major general’ of the NSCN (KY-A) asking voters to choose the NPP candidate Thangwang Wangkam, contesting from the Longding-Pumau assembly seat. The report said it created panic among voters.
However, the NPP candidate Wangham, who is also the party’s state president since 2023, later issued a statement distancing himself from the letter.
The gram panchayat chairman was released from captivity on April 18 evening, as per the Arunachal Times.
News about the April 18 alleged booth capturing attempt by the NSCN in favour of the BJP in the assembly segment came hours after his release.
