Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim State Govts re-elected in Assembly elections
New Delhi, June 2: Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, two of the four states that held simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections (the others being Andhra Pradesh and Odisha), have re-elected their respective incumbent governments.
The counting of votes took place on Sunday, two days ahead of the nationwide exercise for the Lok Sabha elections.
Sikkim
In a decisive and historic victory, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party secured a landslide win in the Sikkim Legislative Assembly elections, capturing 31 out of 32 seats. This overwhelming mandate underscores the strong support for the SKM and its leadership. Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, also known as P.S. Golay, played a pivotal role in this victory, winning both the Rhenock and Soreng Chakung constituencies. In the 19-Rhenock Constituency, Tamang defeated SDF’s Som Nath Poudyal by a significant margin, accumulating an impressive 10,094 votes, as confirmed by the Election Commission of India.
In stark contrast, the opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) faced its most severe defeat since its inception. Long-time political heavyweight Pawan Chamling, who had dominated Sikkim politics for decades, suffered a major blow by losing both the seats he contested—Poklok Kamrang and Namcheybong. The SDF managed to secure only one seat, Lower Syari, won by Tenzing Lamtha. Notably, Lamtha had defected from the ruling SKM to the SDF just days before the candidate declaration.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aiming to expand its influence in Sikkim, faced a significant setback, failing to secure any seats. The state president of the BJP, D.R. Thapa, was defeated in Upper Burtuk by Kala Rai from the SKM, who won with 6,323 votes. This outcome indicates a challenging road ahead for the BJP in establishing a foothold in Sikkim's political landscape.
Prime Minister congratulated SKM for their victory and in a message on X (Twitter said, “Congratulations to SKM and CM @PSTamangGolay for their victorying the Sikkim Assembly Elections 2024. I look forward to working with the State Government to further the progress of Sikkim in the coming times.”
The newly formed Citizen Action Party (CAP), led by Ganesh Rai, also struggled, failing to win any seats despite initial enthusiasm. Ganesh Rai lost in both the Melli and Chujachen constituencies, highlighting the difficulties new political entities face against more established parties.
Arunachal Pradesh
In Arunachal Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has returned to power for the third consecutive term, winning 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly and securing a majority, according to Election Commission officials. Votes were counted for 50 Assembly segments, with the remaining 10 seats won uncontested by the BJP, increasing its tally by five seats from 2019. Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein had already secured their positions unopposed in March.
Among the opposition parties, the National People's Party (NPP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), People's Party of Arunachal (PPA), and the Congress secured five, three, two, and one seats respectively, while three independent candidates also emerged victorious.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a third consecutive term in office said in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “Thank you Arunachal Pradesh! The people of this wonderful state have given an unequivocal mandate to politics of development. My gratitude to them for reposing their faith in @BJP4Arunachal yet again. Our Party will keep working with even greater vigour for the state’s growth.”
