Sikkim Krantikari Morcha pulled off a stunning victory by winning 31 out of 32 seats
New Delhi: Both Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh voted in incumbents as votes cast in the Himalayan states’ Assembly elections were counted today
Here are top 10 points on this big story:
- Ten BJP candidates in Arunachal have been elected unopposed. So, the counting was done for 50 out of 60 Assembly seats. The BJP posted a comfortable victory, winning 46 seats. Its ally, Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party, won five seats.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the BJP’s win in Arunachal. “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,” he posted on X. He also praised BJP workers for their hard work.
- Responding to the verdict, incumbent Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, “This is a mandate for 10 years of development with huge support from the centre. You all know Arunachal Pradesh is the land of rising sun. BJP’s victory here shows (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji will become PM for the third term.”
- In Sikkim, incumbent Sikkim Krantikari Morcha is back in power. It has won 31 out of 32 seats. The Opposition Sikkim Democratic Front won just one seat. Incumbent Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang told the media, “I thank the people of Sikkim and our party workers. We worked for the people with all our heart. That’s why we have won.”
- SDF leader Pawan Chamling, who has been the longest-serving Chief Minister of the country, has lost from both seats he contested.
- In Arunachal Pradesh, the Congress won one seat, the NCP three and the People’s Party of Arunachal two seats. Three seats were won by Independents.
- Among those elected unopposed in Arunachal Pradesh are Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein.
- In the 2019 assembly election, the Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), won seven seats, the National People’s Party (NPP) five, Congress four and People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) one seat. Two independent candidates had also won.