As the dust settles on the 2024 Lok Sabha election, attention shifts to the outcomes of the state assembly elections, notably in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Amidst a notable voter turnout of 82.71 per cent for the assembly elections and 77.51 per cent for the parliamentary seats, the results unveil significant shifts in political dynamics.
The 2024 Lok Sabha election results are set to be announced on June 4th, with two states, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, also holding their assembly elections.
The results have been declared, and Arunachal Pradesh has elected its government for the next five years. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious, securing 46 seats out of the 60-member assembly, while the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won a second consecutive term in Sikkim by securing 31 seats in the 32-member assembly.
In Arunachal Pradesh, the BJP won 10 seats unopposed, including Chief Minister Pema Khandu from Mukto and Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein from Chowkham. This marks Pema Khandu’s third term as an MLA, having won uncontested.
The Election Commission of India declared March 30 as the last date for withdrawing nominations in the state. On that day, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) announced that 10 candidates, all from the BJP, were elected ‘Unopposed.’
The BJP fielded candidates in all 60 seats, while the Congress only contested 34 seats. This suggests a lack of interest from the Congress in contesting the elections with full conviction, indicating a strong lead for the BJP. The high morale of the BJP cadre is evident, as the Congress seems to have accepted defeat even before contesting.
The Congress’s loss in the state can be attributed to several factors, with the most significant being when Pema Khandu, then a sitting Congress Chief Minister, joined the BJP in 2016, taking 43 party MLAs with him. This move turned the state into a BJP stronghold.
Now, the Congress did not contest one-third of the seats, and when the party loses, it often blames Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The Congress must move past the blame game, as its arrogance is causing it to lose ground in various parts of the country, including the North East and South India.
