Sitting Itanagar Mayor denied BJP ticket for IMC election, party releases full list of candidates

In a significant political development ahead of the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) Election 2025, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has not fielded the sitting Mayor of Itanagar for his own Ward No. 17. 

The exclusion came to light after the party released its official list of candidates approved by the Arunachal Pradesh State Election Committee.

According to the corrigendum issued on November 18 under the chairmanship of BJP State President Shri Kaling Moyong, the party has finalised candidates for all 20 wards of the IMC. For Ward No. 17, the BJP has chosen Nabam Yahi Tad, leaving out the sitting Mayor, who had been widely expected to secure the nomination.

The meeting that finalised the list was attended by Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, and other senior members of the committee. 

The decision has generated considerable buzz in political circles, as the Mayor’s omission marks one of the most notable changes in the party’s strategy for the municipal polls.

The BJP also released names for the Pasighat Municipality Election 2025, covering eight wards in East Siang district, further signalling the party’s preparedness for the upcoming civic body elections.

While the party has not issued any official statement explaining the Mayor’s exclusion, the decision is being viewed as a major shift in candidate selection dynamics and could influence the political narrative in the run-up to the polls.