BJP released third list of 9 candidates

BJP announces 14 candidates for Sikkim Assembly, three sitting MLAs resign

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday announced 14 candidates for the 32-member Sikkim Assembly elections. The BJP also announced that Dinesh Chandra Nepal would be its candidate from the Himalayan state’s only Lok Sabha seat. In the list of assembly election candidates released by the BJP, state unit president DR Thapa has been given the ticket from Upper Virtual, while senior leader NK Subba will contest from Manebung Dentam. However, three outgoing BJP MLAs Rajkumari Thapa, Sonam Wenchungpa and Pinsto Namgyal Lepcha resigned from the primary membership of the party without citing any reason. Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state will be held simultaneously on April 19. Assembly elections in Sikkim are held along with Lok Sabha elections.

BJP will contest elections alone in Sikkim

The BJP has recently broken its alliance with the state’s ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha. Both BJP and SKM parties had contested the 2019 elections separately, in which SKM won 17 seats and formed the government. On the other hand, BJP got less than two percent of the votes and did not win even a single seat. However, after the number of BJP MLAs suddenly reduced to 10 after defection from SDF, both the parties (BJP and SKM) formed a post-poll alliance. Two SDF MLAs also joined SKM, increasing its strength to 19. After this, BJP contested two assembly by-elections and won both and increased its seats to 12. Increasing his influence in Sikkim, BJP candidate DT Lepcha also won the state’s only Rajya Sabha seat.

Also Read: Congress released the 7th list for Lok Sabha elections, see who got the ticket from where.