Mixed bag for BJP in Arunachal civic body polls

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday (December 20, 2025) won the civic body election in Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, but suffered a setback in Pasighat, the State’s oldest urban centre.

Elections to 16 of the 20 wards of the Itanagar Municipal Corporation (IMC) and eight wards of the Pasighat Municipal Corporation were held on December 15, along with most of the State’s 245 zilla parishads. The BJP won four of the IMC wards uncontested.

According to State election officials, the BJP candidates won 10 of the 16 IMC wards, where elections were held. The Nationalist Congress Party, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and an Independent followed with three, two, and one wards, respectively.

In East Siang district’s Pasighat, the regional People’s Party of Arunachal won five of the eight wards. The BJP won two wards, while an Independent candidate secured Ward 8.

“The counting of votes for the simultaneous panchayat election is continuing. We expect the results to come in from 27 districts by Sunday afternoon,” an election official said.

The BJP won 58 of the State’s 245 zilla parishad seats uncontested.