GUWAHATI: The National People’s Party (NPP) received a shot in the arms on Tuesday when 20 BJP leaders, including two Ministers and six MLAs, of Arunachal Pradesh joined the regional party.
The lawmakers to have deserted the BJP were the state’s Home Minister Kumar Waii, Tourism Minister Jarkar Gamlin and MLAs Tapuk Taku, Pani Taram, Kardo Nyickyor, Paknga Bage, Thangwang Wangham and Wanglin Lowangdong. All of them were denied ticket by the BJP for upcoming Arunachal elections which will be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls.
Earlier, two other BJP MLAs Mutchu Mithi and Nikh Kamin had defected to the NPP. On Tuesday, others who embraced the party were former Minister Tsering Gyurme, BJP state general secretary Jarpum Gamlin (he resigned from the party on Monday) and several ticket aspirants. Jarkar and Jarpum are the brothers of former Chief Minister the late Jarbom Gamlin. Jarpum was an aspiring candidate of the BJP from Liromoba seat.
“Eight BJP lawmakers, which include two Ministers and six MLAs, have joined the NPP. There were also some very senior leaders who have joined the party. We are very confident about doing well in the elections,” Jarpum told this newspaper.
The NPP heads Meghalaya’s ruling coalition and is also a constituent of the coalition governments in Manipur and Nagaland.
Meanwhile, the BJP suffered a setback in Tripura as the party’s state vice president Subal Bhowmik defected to the Congress. He is likely to contest the Lok Sabha elections from West Tripura seat. Former Minister Prakash Das and Debashis Sen, who is a CPI-M municipal councillor, also followed in the footsteps of Bhowmik.
On Monday night, Bhowmik had a meeting with Pradesh Congress chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya who reportedly agreed to nominate the former in the West Tripura seat.
“Yes, I’ve joined the Congress. Congress president Rahul Gandhi Ji will announce my candidature from his rally at Khumulwng tomorrow (Wednesday),” Bhowmik said.