The Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) on Sunday returned to power in the Himalayan state for the second consecutive term by a landslide victory, winning 31 seats in the 32-member Assembly.
The opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which ruled the state for 25 years in a row till 2019, could manage only one seat, though its president Pawan Kumar Chamling lost in the two constituencies he contested.
SKM president and Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, however, won from two seats, and the party bagged 58.38 per cent of the votes polled. The SKM had won 17 seats in the 2019 Assembly polls.
Elections to the Assembly were held simultaneously with the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls on April 19.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Tamang and the SKM for the victory.
“Congratulations to SKM and CM @PSTamangGolay for their victory in the Sikkim Assembly Elections 2024. I look forward to working with the State Government to further the progress of Sikkim in the coming times,” Modi said in a post on X.
Responding to the Prime Minister’s post, Tamang thanked him.
“We are committed to continuing our efforts towards the development and prosperity of Sikkim. We look forward to collaborating with you to achieve our shared goals for the betterment of our state.
“Your unwavering support has been a driving force for us, and we look forward to your continued guidance and blessings,” Tamang said in an X.