Sikkim News: SKM regains power, wins 31 out of 32 seats

Gangtok: The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on Sunday returned to power in the Himalayan state by winning 31 of the 32 seats in the assembly elections, according to the Election Commission. In Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP returned to power for the third consecutive time as the party secured a majority by winning 46 seats in the 60-member assembly. Elections to the Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh assemblies were held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections on April 19. Counting of votes began at 6 am amid tight security. The SKM, led by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, had won 17 seats in 2019 and ousted the SDF, which had ruled the state for 25 consecutive years.

Tamang won the Rhenock assembly seat by defeating SDF’s Som Nath Paudyal by 7,044 votes. SKM’s Samdup Lepcha won the Lachen Mangan assembly seat by defeating his nearest SDF rival Hishe Lachungpa by 851 votes. “It is because of the love and trust of the people that we have managed to retain the government in the last five years. Also, party workers have worked very hard. Now we have the next five years to give our 100 per cent for the people of Sikkim,” he said while addressing a gathering at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, NDTV reported. In Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP has won 10 seats out of the 60-seat assembly unopposed. Votes were counted for 50 assembly constituencies on Sunday. Out of the 50 seats, the BJP secured 36 seats and Chief Minister Pema Khandu is one of the 10 candidates who won unopposed. The saffron party had won 41 seats in 2019. The National People’s Party (NPP) won five seats, while the People’s Party of Arunachal won two seats and the NCP won three seats. The Congress won one seat and independent candidates emerged victorious in three constituencies.