Arunachal: BJP fields Kalikho Pul’s widow for Hayuliang by-poll

Bharatiya Janata Party declared Late former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul’s third wife Dasanglu Pul as North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) candidate for the by election scheduled for November 19, for Hayuliang assembly seat on behalf of the party on Thursday evening.

The Peoples’ Party of Arunachal (PPA) and BJP took the decision on Wednesday and sent a letter to the party president Amit Shah, said a state party official.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu said that Dasanglu Pul would be NEDA candidate, contesting from BJP ticket. The declaration was made after joint meeting of PPA-BJP which was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, BJP President Tapir Gao and PPA Chairman Kamen Ringu, PPA President Khafa Bengia and first wife of Late Pul, Dangwimsai Pul at Civil Secretariat of capital Itanagar .

Late Kalikho Pul a rebel Congress MLA was the chief minister for around four months until Supreme Court ruling ordered removal of his government with BJP in alliance.  He was found hanging in the Chief Minister’s official residence in Itanagar on August 9. 

Sources said that Pul was being asked by the Congress top leadership to join the party again and was promised to be given a new responsible post in the new Cabinet, which was not fulfilled. Political observers feel that this could drive him into depression and compelled him to take the drastic step eventually.

Earlier, the first wife had earlier said that she would stand for the election, but eventually the family has resolved the differences and decided to field Dasanglu Pul as NEDA candidate. While speaking to Millennium Post the state president of BJP in Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao said, “The decision has been taken with a consensus of three of the wives of Late Chief Minister.”

“They decided Dasanglu Pul as the candidate,” he further added. 

“It was public demand that candidate should be from the family of late Kalikho Pul and the family has resolved and arrived at consensus to field third wife” Chief Minister Pema Khandu also said. Meanwhile the state leadership of BJP also appealed the opposition party not to field candidate against her.