BJP's Tai Tagak elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar: Senior BJP leader Tai Tagak was on Thursday declared elected unopposed to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Arunachal Pradesh after the withdrawal period for nominations ended with no other candidate in the fray.

Returning officer-cum-secretary of the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, Tadar Meena, formally declared Tagak elected following the close of the candidature withdrawal period at 3 pm.

Since only one nomination had been filed and no withdrawal was made before the stipulated deadline, the declaration was issued under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, a communique from the Assembly secretariat said.


The official certificate of election was handed over to the newly elected MP at a function held at Nokmey Namati Hall of the Assembly.

The ceremony was attended by state chief electoral officer-cum-observer Pawan Kumar Sain, Joint CEO Liken Koyu, assistant returning officer Longman Ronrang, and senior BJP leaders.

Later, Tagak called on Speaker Tesam Pongte, who congratulated him on his unopposed election to the council of states and wished him success in his new responsibilities.

The election was necessitated as the term of the incumbent Rajya Sabha member, Nabam Rebia, is scheduled to end on June 23

A veteran BJP functionary, 54-year-old Tagak joined the party on September 9, 1995, after serving as a unit organiser of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Arunachal Pradesh from 1989.

He subsequently held several key organisational positions, including state general secretary and spokesperson, before becoming the state BJP president in February 2013.

During his tenure as state BJP president from 2013 to 2015, the party registered significant electoral gains, winning 11 Assembly seats and the Arunachal West Lok Sabha constituency while securing around 31 per cent of the vote share.

He is also credited with playing a key role in the political developments that led to the BJP forming the government in Arunachal Pradesh for the first time in 2016.

Hailing from Peel village under Sangram circle in Kurung Kumey district, Tagak was known as a social worker and cultural activist before entering active politics.

He has also served two terms as adviser to the chief minister.

Speaking after his election, Tagak said the BJP had honoured a simple grassroots worker and that his selection conveyed a strong message that hard work, sacrifice, dedication and teamwork are recognised in the party.

Recalling his humble beginnings, he said he had worked as a child labourer fetching drinking water for labourers for Rs 2 a day in 1981-82 and later as a daily wage worker during school vacations for Rs 5 a day.

He said his nomination reflected the party's faith in dedicated workers and was in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of promoting people from non-political backgrounds to contribute to the building of a "Viksit Bharat".