National Desk
2 June
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a remarkable electoral outcome, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has secured a decisive victory in the Sikkim assembly elections, winning 31 out of the 32 seats. This marks the second consecutive term for the SKM in the state, demonstrating significant public support. The opposition, Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), managed to secure only one seat, with Tenjing Norbu emerging victorious from the Lamtha Shiari constituency. Notably, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress failed to win any seats in Sikkim.
The assembly elections for both Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh were conducted in a single phase on April 19. Leading up to these elections, the SKM had a prior alliance with the BJP, established post the 2019 general elections. However, this time, the BJP chose to contest independently, severing the previous alliance.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP has solidified its stronghold by winning 41 seats and leading in four additional constituencies out of a total of 60. Remarkably, the BJP had already secured 10 of these seats unopposed. The National People’s Party (NPP) has won four seats and is leading in two, while the People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have won two and one seat(s) respectively, with the NCP leading in two additional constituencies. Independents have also made their mark, winning two seats and leading in one.
The previous assembly configuration in Sikkim had the SKM governing with 17 out of 32 seats, while the BJP dominated Arunachal Pradesh with 42 seats. This election cycle has not only reinforced the SKM’s mandate in Sikkim but also highlighted the BJP’s continued influence in Arunachal Pradesh, indicating a stable political landscape in these northeastern states.
These results underscore the prevailing political dynamics in the region, with the SKM and BJP emerging as the dominant forces in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, respectively.