Politics / Arunachal

Naharlagun, May 2: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union (AAPSU) today set the stage for a more acrimonious battle than the Lok Sabha poll by threatening to “go to any length” to prevent the Chakma and Hajong communities from making their voting debut on Wednesday.

Two days after the militant National Liberation Front of Arunachal backed its campaign against the two refugee tribes, the student organisation warned the administration of “drastic action” if the Election Commission did not drop them from the electoral rolls.

About 15,000 members of the Chakma and Hajong communities had applied...

ITANAGAR, May 2– Security has been stepped up to ensure peaceful polls in the face of a boycott call given by All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) to protest inclusion of names of 1497 Chakma-Hajong refugees in the state electoral rolls. The Centre has despatched 17 companies of para military forces, 10 companies more than what the state received during 1999 elections, according to Manish Gupta, Home Secretary of the state.

The tradition of returning only ruling party candidates will be tested once again in the May 5 poll for two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh where the BJP for...

ITANAGAR, May 2 – A 48-hour State-wide bandh has been called by All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) from May 4 to enforce its call for boycott of the May 5 polls to the two Lok Sabha seats in the State in protest against the inclusion of names of 1497 Chakma-Hajong refugees in the electoral rolls, reports PTI. The bandh, to begin from 5 am on May 4, was called following a decision taken at the AAPSU federal meeting held at Arunachal University on April 22, a press release issued by the student union president Byabang Taj said today. The meeting was held after talks between an AAPSU...

Dimapur, April 30: The election scene in Arunachal Pradesh turned murkier with the militant National Liberation Front of Arunachal backing the All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU)’s call for a boycott of the Lok Sabha poll to protest the inclusion of Chakma and Hajong refugees in the electoral rolls.

In a statement today, the militant group’s chairman, K.H. Tara, appealed to the people of the state to support the AAPSU. “Time has come to teach the Indian government a lesson,” he said.

The group’s show of solidarity with the student organisation is perceived to be a move to garner...

ITANAGAR, April 10 – The ruling BJP today appeared to be heading for a confrontation with All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) by deciding to field candidates in the Lok Sabha election defying the call for poll boycott over the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue of the apex students organisation, reports PTI.

BJP State unit President Taba Hare despatched a letter to the AAPSU saying that his party did not agree that boycotting the poll would bring about any solution to the refugee issue. The AAPSU had called a press conference with all political parties today to jointly announce...

ITANAGAR, April 5 – Opposition Congress and a regional party Arunachal Congress (AC) have forged an alliance and decided to share the two Lok Sabha seats in Arunachal Pradesh, reports PTI. Addressing a press conference the state Congress chief and former Chief Minister, Mukut Mithi said Congress has decided to re-nominate Wangcha Rajkumar from Arunachal East constituency, while AC president Kamen Ringu will contest Arunachal West seat in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.

Asked why Congress which won both the seats in last elections is sacrificing the West parliamentary seat for Arunachal...

New Delhi, March 3: The Election Commission has decided to issue fresh directions for revision of electoral rolls in Arunachal Pradesh to include the Chakmas and Hajongs as voters for the Lok Sabha polls. The move is likely to kick up a political storm in the state.

The commission had recently despatched a letter to the Prime Minister?s Office (PMO) seeking a ?political solution? to the vexed issue. The PMO referred the matter to the home ministry, saying the state government should be consulted on the issue.

However, as the commission did not receive any reply from either the PMO or the home...

ITANAGAR, Feb 17 ?Arunachal Pradesh Assembly unanimously adopted a government resolution for inclusion of the State in the Sixth Schedule so as to enable it to create Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in militant-dominated Tirap and Chanlang districts, besides Tawang and West Kameng districts affected by 1962 Chinese aggression.

The resolution was moved on Monday by Home Minister L Wanglat who said the ADCs would have special status and all districts could benefit from it.

?Under the 1945 regulation we will be given absolute power and lot of problems facing the state would be solved,? he...

Itanagar, Jan. 30: Former Arunachal Pradesh home minister Neelam Taram rejoined the BJP here today after severing a two-decade-old association with the Congress. Taram, a Christian leader, was the home minister in the erstwhile Congress government led by Gegong Apang.

Considered a die-hard supporter of the Congress, Taram maintained his political affiliation even when the entire Assembly had switched side to Arunachal Congress formed by Apang in late 1995.

Taram was the choice of the then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to replace Apang, who was becoming unpopular with the party leadership...

Itanagar, Jan. 18: Political parties in Arunachal Pradesh have united against the Election Commission?s decision to suspend electoral activity in four Assembly segments of the state until the impasse over the inclusion of Chakma-Hajong refugees in the voters? list ends.

An all-party delegation will visit New Delhi shortly to urge the political leadership to pressure the Election Commission into reviewing its decision. Chief minister Gegong Apang will lead the team.

A source said the BJP, the Congress, student organisations and NGOs were unanimous in their opposition to the Election Commission...