Five parties in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday unanimously decided not to field any candidate for the Khonsa West Assembly bypoll, scheduled for October 21, and to support Independent candidate Chakat Aboh, wife of Tirong Aboh.
The bypoll was necessitated after Tirong Aboh, who was elected from the seat in May this year, was shot dead by suspected NSCN militants at 12 Mile area in Tirap district before the counting.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu convened an all-party meeting at his office and said Ms. Chakat would be supported by the ruling BJP, Congress, People’s Party of Arunachal, National People’s Party and Janata Dal (United).
“The members of the political parties decided not to field any candidate but to support Ms. Chakat who will contest as an independent candidate,” Mr. Khandu said.
Aboh, who was seeking a re-election from the constituency on an NPP ticket, was on his way to Khonsa from Dibrugarh in Assam on May 21 when the suspected NSCN rebels opened fire at him and 10 others, including his son and security personnel.
He was elected from the Khonsa West seat in 2014 on a PPA ticket.
