The ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has emerged victorious in the 2024 Sikkim Assembly elections, increasing its tally from 17 seats in 2019 to 31. This victory is a testament to the party’s growing popularity in the state, while the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which ruled Sikkim for 25 consecutive years until 2019, has seen its fortunes decline significantly, winning only one seat in the recent elections.
The SKM’s success can be attributed to a number of factors, including its focus on local issues, its strong grassroots organization, and the popularity of its leaders, including Chief Minister P. S. Tamang. The SDF, on the other hand, has struggled to regain its footing since its defeat in the 2019 elections, and its loss in the 2024 elections is a further indication of its decline.
The 2024 Sikkim Assembly elections have marked a significant shift in the state’s political landscape, with the SKM emerging as the dominant force and the SDF facing an uncertain future. It remains to be seen how the SKM will govern the state in the coming years and whether the SDF will be able to regain its former prominence.
In the 2019 elections, the SKM had flipped 15 seats from the SDF, with margins ranging from 18.44% to 78.21%. The Djongu constituency was flipped with the largest margin of 78.21%. This year, the SKM has further consolidated its position, winning 58.38% of the votes, compared to the SDF’s 27.37%. The SKM’s vote share has increased significantly since its first contest in the 2014 elections, when it won 41% of the votes.
The Indian National Congress, which once held a strong presence in Sikkim, has continued to decline. In the 2024 elections, the party won only 0.32% of the votes, a far cry from its peak in 2009 when it won 27.64% of the votes. The party has not won any seats since 2004. The BJP, which has never won a seat in Sikkim, also failed to make any gains in the 2024 elections.
