Arunachal Pradesh: Landslide victory for Congress

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What better example to have than the defeat of Gegong Apang and Kameng Dolo. Both the veterans have won seven times from their respective constituencies failed on their eighth attempt.

CJ: Higio Zarngam

Sun, Oct 25, 2009 11:08:14 IST

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FIRSYLY, THE voters have become more conscious of the representative that they elect. It’s no longer the big omnipresent face that drives them to vote. The people are considering the kind of work that these faces have done. Their patience has worn out and they seek change. What better example to have than the defeat of Gegong Apang and Kameng Dolo. Both the veterans have won seven times from their respective constituencies. It therefore, came as a big shock when on their eighth attempt, they failed to woo the voters.

The vote does not signify that the people are certain that the other person would bring in development but its time they place their hopes and dreams on someone else’s shoulder.

Second, the people of Arunachal Pradesh are ready to show that they are on India’s side in the India-China talks that is going on. Every time Beijing opens its mouth regarding the issue of Tawang in Arunachal, the people would show solidarity and stand up for its country. The number of people who turned out for poll explains that. This Vidhan Sabha election saw 72 per cent turn out, up from 70.4 per cent in 2004, highest among the three states that went to polls this Thursday. By exercising their franchise, the people have re-instated their faith in the biggest democracy of the world.

But there are other angles to the win as well. The Congress might have had a landslide victory in Arunachal Pradesh but the opposition has got to do more with the win than the congress party itself. The opposition, mainly the BJP instead of seizing the opportunity to highlight the grievances of the people and holes in the incumbent government, failed even to make a strong base in the state. Education, connectivity, infrastructure, lack of basic amenities still plagues the state. With no opposition in the last assembly, it was an apt time for BJP and other parties to bounce back and play an active role in the working of the state.

With its main leader, Khiren Rijiju, former MP, jumping in the Congress bandwagon, the BJP did not even contest for half the seats in the state. It fielded contestants in 18 of the 60 seats, winning just three out of it. The Congress winning 42 seats out of the 60 can be attributed to that as well. Parties like the Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) too fielded more candidates than the BJP.

While the Trinamool Congress and NCP won five seats each, PPA, a regional party won four seats.

In such a scenario, it was then but a little obvious that it would be a cakewalk for the incumbent government. It is not time for the Congress to rest on its laurels and celebrate the win. It’s time to dirty the hands.