SKM set to return in Sikkim with massive victory; BJP eyes clean sweep in Arunachal, early trends show
New Delhi/IBNS: As the counting for the Himalayan states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh legislative assembly elections are underway, the Bharatiya Janata Party has already crossed the halfway mark in Arunachal while incumbent Sikkim Krantikari Morcha is eying a comeback in the other.
Ten BJP candidates in Arunachal have been elected unopposed, therefore leaving the counting to be held in 50 out of 60 Assembly seats.
As per the early trends, the BJP has crossed the halfway mark now, with 10 wins and leads on 30 seats. BJP's ally, Conrad Sangma's National People's Party, leads in nine. The Congress is leading in one.
In Sikkim, incumbent Sikkim Krantikari Morcha has crossed the halfway mark in early trends and is leading in 31 out of 32 seats. The Opposition Sikkim Democratic Front is leading in one seat.
Among those elected unopposed is Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who has won three of his four terms as MLA without a contest from Mukto in the Tawang district.
The others include Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein from Chowkham, Techi Kaso from Itanagar, Nyato Dukam from Taliha, and Mutchu Mithi from Roing.
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 the People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) one seat. Two independent candidates had also won.
In Sikkim, the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha, locked in a primarily bipolar contest with the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), is hoping for a second straight term in power as votes for 32 assembly seats are counted.
Both parties have fielded candidates on all 32 seats. The BJP has fielded 31 candidates and is expected to fight in a handful of seats and the new party CAP-S(Citizen Action Party-Sikkim) on 30 seats. The Congress is contesting on 12 seats.
Spearheading the ruling SKM's campaign, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang is contesting from Rhenock and Soreng-Chakung assembly constituencies, where he is locked in a multi-cornered contest.
Former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling - who headed the state for five terms - said he is confident that the people have voted his party, the SDF, back in power.
In 2019, the SKM ended the 25-year rule of the SDF by winning 17 seats against 15 of Pawan Chamling's party. Going by the 'first past the post' system, the SDF was unseated despite polling more votes than the SKM.
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