3 BJP Crorepatis Win Arunachal Polls Unopposed

ITANAGAR: The three BJP candidates who have already won unopposed from their Legislative Assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh are all crorepatis. In fact, one of the debutants is (officially) the richest among the three.

Phurpa Tsering, Taba Tedir, and Kento Jini won from their respective constituencies after the nominations of their opponents were either rejected on various grounds or were withdrawn. The incumbent, and once-again, MLA of Dirang assembly constituency in West Kameng district had a controversy-free win with his lone opposition- Congress’ Tsering Gyurme –withdrawing his nomination on March 28.

According to the asset declaration affiliate deposited to the election commission by the candidates showed that Dirang’s three-time MLA has a total gross worth of Rs 1,27,46,075.76 in movable property.

Moveable property includes cash in hand, bank deposits including bonds and investments, motor vehicles, and jewellery, etc.

Tsering’s total immovable assets, including agricultural, non-agricultural, commercial and residential property, is valued at Rs 5,57,00,000.

As per the official declarations, the Dirang MLA is marginally richer than his party colleague from Yachuli constituency.

Tedir, a former bureaucrat in the state government, took the plunge to electoral politics this year to contest one of the only two seats in Lower Subansiri district.

The Yachuli assembly constituency was represented by Likha Saaya for the past decade but he did not file his nomination this time, having lost the BJP ticket to Tedir.

Tedir’s was declared an unopposed winner after the nomination of his lone opposition, Toko Yaram of the Janata Dal (United), was rejected by election officials.

Yaram was one of the few women who had filed her nomination across the 60 constituencies and she has already filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India challenging the rejection of her nomination.

Her moveable assets declaration of Rs 27,75,000, however, paled in comparison to the eventual winner.

Tedir’s affidavit revealed that his assets’ gross total value is Rs 1,26,32,040.86. His total immovable property is valued at Rs 2,93,00,000.

It is another debutant, Kento Jini of the BJP, who is (as per the affidavits) valued the highest among the three.

Jini was declared the winner of the Aalo East assembly constituency after Congress’ Minkir Lollen’s nomination was rejected by officials.

Congress party members had tried to lodge a complaint with police, blaming an advocate for the errors in the nomination form which led to Lollen’s nomination being rejected. Police, however, did not register the complaint since it was a civil matter and told the complainants to go to court instead. Lollen himself, however, issued a clarification absolving the advocate of any wrongdoings and took responsibility for the errors.

The asset declaration submitted by Jini revealed that his total moveable asset is valued at Rs 3,49,80,749, while his immovable property is worth Rs 2,06,44,000.

Incidentally, the affidavit also revealed that Jini does not have a single vehicle.

In his affidavit, Jini has listed three cars but all of them are registered under his wife’s name.