Pasighat: In a major setback for the BJP in the Mebo Assembly Constituency in Arunachal Pradesh’s East Siang district, nearly 90% of BJP office bearers across various morchas tendered their resignations to the State BJP President.
This mass exodus comes in solidarity with their preferred candidate, Oken Tayeng, who was overlooked for a BJP ticket by both state and central BJP authorities.
The grassroots BJP members expressed discontent over the selection of Lombo Tayeng, the incumbent MLA who recently defected from the Congress to join the BJP.
Prior to the announcement of Lombo Tayeng as the BJP’candidate for the 39th Mebo Assembly Constituency, office bearers and grassroots leaders from Mebo had appealed to the state BJP leadership to consider internal aspirants, excluding Lombo Tayeng.
Despite these pleas, the state and central BJP authorities swiftly confirmed Lombo Tayeng as the party’s candidate within a week of his joining the BJP.
Today’s wave of resignations among the majority of BJP office bearers in the 39th Mebo Assembly Constituency reflects their discontent with the decision made by the BJP high command.
The resigning BJP office bearers and supporters are now determined to challenge and vote out Lombo Tayeng in the upcoming election.
Some long-time BJP leaders who resigned today revealed that Lombo Tayeng secured the BJP ticket from New Delhi with the assistance of a BJP MP candidate who has connections with influential figures in the central leadership, allegedly through substantial monetary transactions with an undisclosed central leader.
The disgruntled grassroots BJP members criticized this act, asserting that corruption and nepotism have infiltrated the BJP, eroding its reputation as a party of integrity.
In response to their resignation, the former BJP workers are joining the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA), a regional and indigenous party within Arunachal Pradesh.
Their leader, Oken Tayeng, has announced his candidacy on the PPA ticket, challenging BJP’s Lombo Tayeng.