ITANAGAR: With an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections in the state scheduled for next year, former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Gegong Apang has launched a new regional party named the Arunachal Democratic Party (ADP) on Monday.
Apang, while introducing the new party, highlighted its core agenda – to work tirelessly for the betterment of the state, and informed that ADP is preparing to contest all 60 assembly seats in the state.
He envisions the ADP as a driving force to eradicate corruption, generate ample employment prospects for the youth, and effectively address law-and-order challenges. His aspiration also includes bringing the state under the ambit of the Sixth Schedule, a longstanding demand of the state’s people, provided the ADP secures victory in the 2024 assembly elections.
Apang, expressing his resolve to break away from the conventional practice of relying on national parties for developmental funding, asserted, “The high command system has looted our state. I have had the worst experiences with this system.”
Highlighting the ADP’s distinctive focus, Apang stressed that the party’s commitment is to nurture the younger generation and steer the state’s progress towards a more prosperous future. He envisions the ADP as a dynamic and potent regional party with a transformative vision for a “new” Arunachal Pradesh.
Apang, who has served as the Chief Minister of the state for seven terms from 1980 to 1999 and again from 2003 to 2007, is a member of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was previously associated with the Indian National Congress before 2016. As he introduces the ADP to the political arena, Apang calls upon the people, particularly the youth, to rally behind the party and contribute to catalysing “revolutionary changes” in the state’s political landscape and overall development.
