Sikkim Lok Sabha Elections Results 2019 LIVE: SDF Takes Early Lead in Assembly Constituencies
In the battle for Sikkim's sole, unreserved seat at the Lok Sabha, SKM is gunning to take over the post that has been held by SDF's representative for over two decades.
In the battle for Sikkim's sole, unreserved seat at the Lok Sabha, SKM is gunning to take over the post that has been held by SDF's representative for over two decades.
Counting for the Sikkim Lok Sabha constituency is underway, to determine its parliamentary representative for the entire state. While the incumbent SDF is looking to hold on to its power, opposition SKM is confident of upstaging it. The land-locked state saw voting for the solitary Lok Sabha seat happen on April 11, during the first phase of the 2019 elections. Interestingly, it took place on the same day as Sikkim's Legislative Assembly elections, which comprise 32 seats.
ALSO SEE: Sikkim Lok Sabha elections 2019 LIVE results tracker
The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has been the ruling party in Sikkim for 25 years, with Chief Minister and SDF's founder-president Pawan Kumar Chamling holding the state's ruling seat for an equal span of time. The Sikkim constituency in Lok Sabha has also been represented by SDF since 1996, with Member of Parliament Prem Das Rai representing Sikkim for two straight terms, since 2009. Apart from 1977 (the first year when Sikkim participated in the Lok Sabha elections) it has uniformly voted for a representative from a regional party. The only exception to this was in 1984, when independent candidate Nar Bahadur Bhandari defeated erstwhile MP and Sikkim Janata Parishad candidate Pahal Man Subba, to claim the Lok Sabha seat.
Here are the latest developments from the state:
1. While Lok Sabha numbers are yet to come in, the Chamling-led SDF have taken an early lead in the assembly polls.
2. According to data released by the Sikkim election office, the electorate comprised 4,32,306 eligible voters during the polling on April 11.
3. Sikkim ranked towards the higher end of voter turnout, recording 78.19 percent voter turnout.
4. A total of 11 nominees are contesting for the lone, unreserved Lok Sabha seat allotted to Sikkim, of which three are independent candidates.
5. While exit poll results for the lone Sikkim seat have been varied, general sentiment across the internet and social media appear to suggest a victory for chief opposition, SKM.
6. Since contesting for the first time in 1977, only one independent candidate has ever won the Sikkim Lok Sabha seat.
7. Prem Das Rai, the present Member of Parliament holding Sikkim’s Lok Sabha seat, did not contest for a third straight run in the Lok Sabha elections.
8. SDF, the ruling party to which Rai is affiliated, has instead fielded Dek Bahadur Katwal as their candidate to contest the Lok Sabha seat.
9. Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), the prime opposition of SDF, has appointed Indra Hang Subba as their candidate for the Lok Sabha seat.
10. Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP), the young political party founded by Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia, has fielded Biraj Adhikari as its candidate for the seat.
11. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are looking to make inroads in Sikkim, a state where it has never enjoyed any success before.
12. Representing BJP for the Lok Sabha seat is its youth leader in Sikkim, Laten Tshering Sherpa.
13. The Indian National Congress (INC) has nominated its state president, Bharat Basnett, as its representative to battle for the seat.
14. Historical records so far have shown Sikkim to clearly favour its regional parties over the national heavyweights, with the SDF gaining clear victory in the past 23 years.
15. Both the SKM and HSP have accused present CM Chamling of corruption inside his party, stating that the people of Sikkim have been long denied of the promises they have been given.
16. SKM is the principal opposition of the SDF in the state government, and made considerable impact by winning 10 out of 32 seats in the Legislative Assembly in the previous election. However, the SKM has never won a Lok Sabha seat, yet.
17. HSP’s Bhutia has stated in the build-up that he aims to fight a battle for clean politics, with Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav openly announcing support for his party.
18. In face of stiffer competition, CM Chamling announced a nine-point agenda to improve quality of life among residents.
19. Some of the salient points of Chamling’s agenda include setting up of Sikkim Dividend Fund for establishing universal basic income, and ‘CATCH’ clinics for free healthcare services.
(Get detailed and live results of each and every seat in the Lok Sabha elections and state Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and to know which candidate/party is leading or trailing and to know who has won and who has lost and by what margin. Our one-of-its-kind Election Analytics Centre lets you don a psephologist’s hat and turn into an election expert. Know interesting facts and trivia about the elections and see our informative graphics. Elections = News18)
ALSO SEE: Sikkim Lok Sabha elections 2019 LIVE results tracker
The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) has been the ruling party in Sikkim for 25 years, with Chief Minister and SDF's founder-president Pawan Kumar Chamling holding the state's ruling seat for an equal span of time. The Sikkim constituency in Lok Sabha has also been represented by SDF since 1996, with Member of Parliament Prem Das Rai representing Sikkim for two straight terms, since 2009. Apart from 1977 (the first year when Sikkim participated in the Lok Sabha elections) it has uniformly voted for a representative from a regional party. The only exception to this was in 1984, when independent candidate Nar Bahadur Bhandari defeated erstwhile MP and Sikkim Janata Parishad candidate Pahal Man Subba, to claim the Lok Sabha seat.
Here are the latest developments from the state:
1. While Lok Sabha numbers are yet to come in, the Chamling-led SDF have taken an early lead in the assembly polls.
2. According to data released by the Sikkim election office, the electorate comprised 4,32,306 eligible voters during the polling on April 11.
3. Sikkim ranked towards the higher end of voter turnout, recording 78.19 percent voter turnout.
4. A total of 11 nominees are contesting for the lone, unreserved Lok Sabha seat allotted to Sikkim, of which three are independent candidates.
5. While exit poll results for the lone Sikkim seat have been varied, general sentiment across the internet and social media appear to suggest a victory for chief opposition, SKM.
6. Since contesting for the first time in 1977, only one independent candidate has ever won the Sikkim Lok Sabha seat.
7. Prem Das Rai, the present Member of Parliament holding Sikkim’s Lok Sabha seat, did not contest for a third straight run in the Lok Sabha elections.
8. SDF, the ruling party to which Rai is affiliated, has instead fielded Dek Bahadur Katwal as their candidate to contest the Lok Sabha seat.
9. Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), the prime opposition of SDF, has appointed Indra Hang Subba as their candidate for the Lok Sabha seat.
10. Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP), the young political party founded by Indian football legend Bhaichung Bhutia, has fielded Biraj Adhikari as its candidate for the seat.
11. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are looking to make inroads in Sikkim, a state where it has never enjoyed any success before.
12. Representing BJP for the Lok Sabha seat is its youth leader in Sikkim, Laten Tshering Sherpa.
13. The Indian National Congress (INC) has nominated its state president, Bharat Basnett, as its representative to battle for the seat.
14. Historical records so far have shown Sikkim to clearly favour its regional parties over the national heavyweights, with the SDF gaining clear victory in the past 23 years.
15. Both the SKM and HSP have accused present CM Chamling of corruption inside his party, stating that the people of Sikkim have been long denied of the promises they have been given.
16. SKM is the principal opposition of the SDF in the state government, and made considerable impact by winning 10 out of 32 seats in the Legislative Assembly in the previous election. However, the SKM has never won a Lok Sabha seat, yet.
17. HSP’s Bhutia has stated in the build-up that he aims to fight a battle for clean politics, with Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav openly announcing support for his party.
18. In face of stiffer competition, CM Chamling announced a nine-point agenda to improve quality of life among residents.
19. Some of the salient points of Chamling’s agenda include setting up of Sikkim Dividend Fund for establishing universal basic income, and ‘CATCH’ clinics for free healthcare services.
(Get detailed and live results of each and every seat in the Lok Sabha elections and state Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh and to know which candidate/party is leading or trailing and to know who has won and who has lost and by what margin. Our one-of-its-kind Election Analytics Centre lets you don a psephologist’s hat and turn into an election expert. Know interesting facts and trivia about the elections and see our informative graphics. Elections = News18)