Itanagar | Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday filed his nomination as the BJP candidate for the Arunachal West parliamentary constituency.

Rijiju filed his papers at Aalo, the headquarters of West Siang district, election officials said.

The Union Minister of Earth Sciences and Food Processing Industries was accompanied by Chief Minister Pema Khandu and MLAs Kento Jini and Nyamar Karbak.

Arunachal Pradesh will have simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the first phase on April 19. The northeastern state has two Lok Sabha seats and 60 assembly constituencies.

“I appeal to the people to participate in the electoral process peacefully,” Rijiju told reporters after filing his nomination.

Former chief minister and president of the Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), Nabam Tuki, also filed his nomination from the Arunachal West seat.

Counting of votes for the assembly polls would take place on June 2, and for the Lok Sabha elections on June 4