Ex-MLA's wife wins Arunachal bypoll backed by BJP,Cong

Chakat Aboh, widow of slain former Arunachal Pradesh MLA Tirong Aboh, who was supported by the ruling BJP and four Opposition parties won the Khonsa West Assembly seat on Thursday, by-election for which was held on October 21.

An Independent candidate, Chakat defeated her only rival, Azet Homtok, also an Independent candidate, by a margin of 1887 votes.

Tirong Aboh, the former MLA of National People's Party (NPP), his son and nine others were gunned down by suspected militants on May 20, two days before the results of the 60-member Assembly election.

An NIA investigation is underway into the massacre.

Tirong Aboh, who had contested as an NPP candidate, however, won the seat.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu convened an all-party meeting, which unanimously decided to support Chakat Aboh. All parties decided not to field their candidate and instead supported her as an Independent. However, the efforts to elect her unopposed did not materialise as Azet Homtok, another Independent candidate contested against her.

"Your victory has filled me with great joy. The victory is a beautiful testimony of untiring effort put by BJP workers and other parties in getting Smt Aboh elected as MLA from the seat that had fallen vacant following death of her late husband and former MLA Tirong Aboh Ji," Khandu tweeted on Thursday afternoon.

Elections for the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly was held on April 11. The BJP won 41 of 60 seats and formed its first elected government in the frontier state. The NPP came third with five seats. But Khonsa West seat fell vacant due to Aboh's killing.