BJP Wins Big In Itanagar Civic Elections, Takes Clear Control Of City Council As Congress Draws Blank
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has delivered a strong performance in the Itanagar Municipal Corporation elections, securing a clear majority and tightening its grip over the Arunachal Pradesh capital. As final results were announced on Saturday, the BJP emerged victorious in 14 out of 20 wards, leaving rival parties far behind.
The outcome highlights BJP’s growing influence in urban local bodies, while the Congress suffered a major setback, failing to win even a single seat in both major civic contests held in the state.
Election officials confirmed that the BJP’s success began even before polling day, with four of its candidates declared elected unopposed, reflecting the party’s organisational strength at the local level. The elections also marked a strong presence of women in civic politics, with 10 women candidates winning seats in the 20-member Itanagar municipal body.
In Pasighat, the results painted a slightly different picture. The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) emerged as the leading force in the Pasighat Municipal Council by winning five of the eight wards. The BJP secured two seats, while one ward was won by an independent candidate. Women candidates again played a key role, winning four seats in the council.
State Election Commission officials confirmed that the Congress failed to register a win in both Itanagar and Pasighat municipal elections, underlining the party’s declining presence in local governance in the state.
Reacting to the smooth completion of the counting process, Itanagar Deputy Commissioner Toko Babu stated that the entire exercise was conducted peacefully. He said there were no reports of disturbances, complaints, or law-and-order issues, and credited election staff for ensuring a fair and orderly process.
Apart from the BJP’s dominant showing, other parties also made limited gains in Itanagar. The Nationalist Congress Party won three wards, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) secured two seats, and one ward went to an independent candidate. Polling in both Itanagar and Pasighat was conducted using Electronic Voting Machines.
Meanwhile, results for the panchayat elections are still awaited, as counting continues across the state. Officials said ballot papers are being used for 186 zilla parishad seats and 1,947 gram panchayat seats, which is expected to delay final results. Both civic body and panchayat elections were held together across Arunachal Pradesh on December 15.
