Campaigning picks up for bypoll to Arunachal's Hayuliang Assembly constituency

Itanagar: With barely two days remaining for campaigning to end for bye-election to Hayuliang Assembly constituency in remote Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, the heat and dust of electioneering is gaining momentum with both the women candidates trying their best to woo voters.

North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) candidate Dasanglu Pul, the youngest among the three wives of former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, contesting on a BJP ticket, is locking horn with Independent candidate Yompi Kri.

Addressing an election rally at Hayuliang yesterday, Chief Minister Pema Khandu appealed to the people to vote for Dasanglu as a mark of respect to the former chief minister.

While assuring the people of his government's all-out support for the overall development of the border district, he also promised to review road compensation rate, promote large cardamom cultivation and shift the present firing range of the Army at Cherang to elsewhere, an official communiqu? said.

State BJP president Tapir Gao, Home Minister Kumar Waii also made pleas to the voters to support Dasanglu for the development of the district bordering China, it added.

The constituency with a total electorate of 11,003, including 5,508 female voters, has 81 polling stations of which three--Kibitho, Aphumna and Taflagam--are situated near the International Border with China.

The highest numbers of electors are in Hayuliang polling station with 955 voters while Malogam polling station has only two.

The seat had fallen vacant after Pul committed suicide on August 9 this year.

The counting of votes will take place on November 22.