Killed by Militants, Aboh Retains AP’s Khonsa West Assembly Seat

Aboh was killed along with 10 others 12 miles from Khonsa area in Tirap district on 21 May.

Arunchal Pradesh MLA Tirong Aboh was killed in an attack in Tirap district.

(Photo: IANS)

Tirong Aboh, the National Peoples Party (NPP) candidate who was gunned down by suspected NSCN militants, has retained the Khonsa West assembly constituency in Arunachal Pradesh.

According to The Quint, BJP is leading in 34 seats, the Nationalist People’s Party (NPP) is leading in three seats, the Indian National Congress (INC) also leads in three seats and the JD(U) is leading in 11 seats.

Aboh, who was killed along with 10 others, 12 miles from Khonsa area in Tirap district on 21 May, has defeated his lone rival Phawang Lowang of the BJP by 1,055 votes as per results declared by the Election Commission on Thursday.

This is the first time that NPP has entered the electoral scene of Arunachal Pradesh thanks to Aboh, but its win will be short-lived as the EC will soon announce the mandatory by-poll in the seat.

Aboh was elected from the constituency in 2014 on a Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) ticket.

He was on his way to Khonsa from Dibrugarh on the fateful day when the suspected Naga militants opened fire on his convoy consisting four vehicles and killed him along with his son and nine others. Among the dead were two police personnel, the officials said.

Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Liken Koyu said that the Election Commission has to conduct by-election in the seat within six months as per rules.

(With inputs from PTI)