[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 12 Apr: The election in Nyapin assembly constituency in Kurung Kumey district is turning into a high-prestige battle between two former engineers, Tai Nikio of the BJP and Tadar Mangku of the PPA.
While Nikio took voluntary retirement from the PWD just before the 2019 election, Mangku took voluntary retirement from the PHE&WS department in 2024 to contest the assembly election.
In 2019, Nikio, who contested on a Congress ticket, lost to Bamang Felix, who went on to become the home minister of the state. Mangku is making his electoral debut this time.
Nyapin is considered to be one of the most prestigious assembly constituencies in the Nyishi belt. In the past, legendary politicians like Tadar Tang had represented it, and in recent years, Felix, who is not contesting this time, represented it consecutively for 15 years, starting from 2009 onwards. Therefore, it is quite natural that the eyes of the entire state are on Nyapin, and the political battle between the two heavyweight candidates is being keenly followed by people across the state.
Born in 1969, Nikio did his early schooling from the secondary school in Nyapin. Later he had a stint at the Sainik School in Imphal (Manipur), and the government higher secondary school in Ziro. He pursued his diploma at Govt Polytechnic College, Imphal, and completed his BTech from the AMICE (I) in Ludhiana, Punjab.
He joined service as a junior engineer in the PWD in 1991. After a long spell of service, he took voluntary retirement as an executive engineer. Under his guidance and mentorship, an NGO named Nikam Development Foundation was established in 1995, in memory of his elder brother late Tai Nikam, as a dedication to his legacy and vision for the community.
The Nikam Development Foundation played a significant role in education and empowerment of the community in the undivided Kurung Kumey and Kra Daadi districts.
The PPA candidate, Mangku, who served as an executive engineer in the PHE&WS department, was a household name among the people of Nyapin even before entering the political arena. He served as an EE in the department’s Itanagar division for a long period, and is credited for the completion of the Poma water supply project, which meets the water needs of the majority of Itanagar town.
After completing his bachelor of engineering (civil), he joined service in 1993.
He was born in the year 1970, in Langth-Loth village in Nyapin circle. He enrolled as a student at the government primary school in Langth-Loth in 1977, and passed his matriculation in 1987 from the government secondary school in Nyapin. After his matriculation, he completed his senior secondary schooling in 1990 from the government higher secondary school in Ziro, Lower Subansiri district. He completed his BE from Govt Engineering College, Amravati, Maharashtra.
After his graduation, he was appointed as a junior engineer in the PWD and served in it for three years. He appeared in the APPSCE exam, qualified, and was selected as an assistant engineer in the PHE&WS department in 1996.
