Arunachal: BJP's Lombo Tayeng denies corruption allegations in flood control project, refutes reports of mass resignations

39th Mebo Assembly Constituency MLA and BJP ticket candidate, Lombo Tayeng and Lok Sabha MP, Eastern Arunachal Parliamentary Constituency, BJP MP candidate, Tapir Gao were given huge welcome reception in Mebo today amidst the presence of 39th Mebo Mandal and District BJP office bearers and party workers as well as voters and well-wishers of Lombo Tayeng and Tapir Gao.

As a part of the welcome reception, a mass car and bike rally was organized from Raneghat bridge point to Motum village, the native village of Lombo Tayeng by covering villages of Ayeng, Mebo, Romdum, Darne, Ngopok, Kiyit etc and culminated at Motum village. 

Both Tayeng and Gao also addressed the public at Motum after the rally, wherein the leaders duo reassured the voters and supporters of BJP government for more development in 39th Mebo if Tayeng and Gao is elected again.

In his public address, Gao clarified the doubt of many party workers of BJP and said that, the BJP ticket was given to Lombo Tayeng due to conflicting claim of tickets by six BJP ticket aspirants despite of party high command asking them to resolve the ticket matter within the aspirants by coming to a common consensus upon a single leader. 

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“When I was passing through Bismak Nagar on my way travelling toward eastern constituency, I received a call from CM Pema Khandu on the first week of March who said that, all the six ticket aspirants of Mebo are not agreed on a single candidate, so with no option left he was inviting Congress’s Lombo Tayeng to join BJP and giving the ticket to him. So, I too had no option and had to agree on the CM's decision for the party’s welfare”, added Gao. 

On the part of Lombo Tayeng, he said that, in his political career of 30 years in which he won five times and lost one time, he never contested from BJP though he had joined BJP for a short time just before the 2019 election. But this time by seeing the good governance of PM Modi in the centre and CM Khandu in the state, he too couldn’t resist joining BJP when he was given the opportunity. Tayeng also urged his voters and well-wishers including party workers to vote for MP candidate Gao also, as voting him alone as MLA won’t serve the purpose.

When questioned to Gao on the anti-incumbency factor that might lead to his losing the election this time, he said that anti-incumbency factor is a kind of shadow to every sitting leaders, not only me, not only Lombo Tayeng etc. “I have done several developmental works for my constituency and based on my work people will surely vote for me this time again”, added Gao. 

When asked for his reaction over his colleague Kiren Rijiju bringing huge road projects at Arunachal west constituency, but he fails to bring such major projects in Arunachal east in the context of Mebo-Dhola road, Gao said that the proposal of Rs. 400 Cr has already been submitted to the Ministry by the initiation of Lombo Tayeng and more projects are likely to be sanctioned soon.

On the part of Lombo Tayeng when asked about the alleged allegation over him of corruption on Rs. 35 Cr flood control project at Sigar, he clarified that he didn’t do any corruption and allegation and misunderstanding created by some section of people are wrong. 

“The amount for flood control was about Rs. 25 Cr and rest were for other infrastructural developments like school education and irrigation. The works on the flood control was completed and done as per the specification of the government, but due to the massive flood on Siang river, the flood control bunds were damaged. The natural calamity and damages out of it can’t be held responsible to anyone”, said Tayeng while hinting for more developments under pipeline like flood control projects along the Siang river bank including road projects of Rs. 64 Cr for Kiyit-Namsing stretch of Mebo Dhola road under MoRTH. Tayeng hoped that the double engine government both in centre and the state will help the Mebo constituency develop better if he too is elected as BJP MLA from Mebo.

On the party strength of BJP in 39th Mebo after several party office bearers from BJP mandal left the party, Lottek Pertin, President, 39th BJP Mandal said that his office bearers are intake in the party as he didn’t receive any resignation letter from his other office bearers. 

He denied the statement of 90% party office bearers of 39th Mebo BJP tendered resignations and termed it wrong and guaranteed to convince the other revolting groups within BJP.