In both the constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh – Arunachal West and Arunachal East – the contest is chiefly between BJP and the Congress. BJP’s Kiren Rijiju is contesting from Arunachal West and seems to have edge over INC candidate Nabam Tuki. Gana Suraksha Party’s Toko Sheetal is another important contestant. BJP’s Tapir Gao is contesting from Arunachal East, who seems to have in closer contest with his chief rival BosiramSiram of INC. Bandey Mili of Arunachal Democratic Party is also trying his luck on this seat. Both the seats were won by the BJP in 2019.

Five Lok Sabha constituencies of Assam – Kaziranga, Sonitpur, Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, and Jorhat – are going to poll on April 19. INC and Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) are contesting together as INDIA bloc allies, while BJP, Asom Gana Parishat (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) are contesting as NDA allies.

In Kaziranga, there seems to be one-on-one contest between Kamakhya Prasad Tasa of BJP and Roselina Tirkey of INC, in which INC seems to have an edge. Sonitpur is witnessing a multi-cornered contest. Ranjit Dutta of BJP and Premlal Ganju of INC are chief contestants on this seat, but presence of AAP candidate Rishiraj Sharma and BPF’s Raju Deuri in the electoral field has weakened the prospect of INDIA alliance.

Similar is the case in Lakhimpur where BJP’s Pradan Barua of BJP, Udaya Shankar Hazarika of INC, Ghana Kanta Chutia of AITC and Dhiren Kachari of CPI are in a multi-corner contest. BJP’s prospect on this seat seems brighter than INDIA bloc’s.

Scenarios of three-corner contests are emerging on Dibrugarh and Jorhat seats. In Dibrugarh AJP’s Lurinjoyti Gogoi, BJP’s Sarbananda Sonowal, and AAP’s Manoj Dhanuar are chief contestants in the fray. In Jorhat, the chief contestants are BJP’s Topon Kumar Gogoi, INC’s Gaurav Gogoi and Ekam Sanatan Bharat Dal’s (ESBD’s) Arun Chandra Handique.

Due to prevailing tension over ethnic violence since May 2023 in Manipur, the two seats of the state – Inner Manipur and half of the Outer Manipur are scheduled for election in the first phase. Half of the outer Manipur will go for poll in the second phase on April 26 for security reasons.

BJP and Naga People’s Front (NPF) are contesting together in Manipur as NDA allies, while INC is contesting alone. It goes without saying that there is one-on-one contest in both the Lok Sabha seats in the strife torn state. BJP’s T Basanta Kumar Singh is contesting from Inner Manipur and facing tough fight from INC’s Angomcha Bimol Akoijam. In Outer Manipur also, INC’s Alfred Kan-Ngam Arthur is giving tough fight to NPF’s Kachui Timothy Zimik. There is still ethnic polarization in the state. BJP seems to be on slippery ground this time against the Congress.

BJP is not contesting any of the two seats in Meghalaya, and it gave both the seats to National People’s Party (NPP), its ally in NDA. Congress is contesting both the seats alone. In both the seats there seems to be multi cornered contests - in Shillong among INC’s Vincent Pala, NPP’s Ampareen Lyngdoh, UDP’s Robertjune Kharijahrin, and VPP’s Ricky AJ Syngkon, and in Tura among Seleng A Sangma of INC, NPP’s Agatha Sangma, and AITC’s Zenith Sangma. INC seems to have edge in Shillong, while it has weakened due to presence of AITC candidate in Tura..Trinamool is focusing on the seat in a big way.

In Mizoram’s lone seat, chief contestants are MNF’s K Vanlalveen, ZPM’s Richard Vanlalhmangaiha, INC’s Lalbiakzama, BJP’s Vahnlalmuaka, and MPC’s Rita Malsawmi. ZPM seems to have distinct upper hand among all, and it is most likely that the party may win this seat. It should be noted that NDA ally MNF has left BJP after Manipur violence. Even though MNF had lost the November 2023 election to ZPM.

The only seat in Nagaland is also going to poll in the first phase. BJP is not contesting this seat and has given it to Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). There is one-on-one close contest on this seat between NDPP’s Chumen Murry and INC’s S Supongmeren Jamir.

Chief Contestants in Sikkim’s single seat are Sikkim Krantikari Morcha’s (SKM’s) Indra Hang Subba, Sikkim Democratic Front’s (SDF’s) Prem Das Rai, BJP’s Dinesh Changra Nepal, and INC’s Gopal Chettri. SKM has upper hand in Sikkim Lok Sabha Seat.

In Tripura, one out of two Lok Sabha seats – Tripura West – is going to poll in the first phase. BJP is contesting together with Tipra Motha Party as NDA alliance. Congress and CPI(M) have joined hands as INDIA bloc. BJP’s Biblab Kumar Deb and INC’s Ashish Kumar Saha are pitted against each other in a very close contest on this seat. (IPA Service)