Assembly poll results: SKM inches towards win in Sikkim; BJP leads in Arunachal

With counting of votes underway for 32 Assembly seats in Sikkim and 50 in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha in the former is poised for a win, having crossed the halfway mark in early trends, while the BJP is leading in the latter state.

In Arunachal, the counting of votes began at 6 am for 50 of the 60 Assembly seats as 10 BJP candidates have already been elected unopposed.

Two more BJP candidates, Wangling Lowangdong from Borduria-Bogapani seat and Hamjong Tanga from the Changlang South seat were declared winners during Sunday’s counting.

Independent candidate Wanglam Sawin has also been declared winner from the Khonsa East Assembly constituency, after defeating his nearest rival, Kamrang Tesia of the BJP, by a margin of 2,216 votes.

Latest trends reported by the Election Commission (EC) showed the BJP leading in 33 Assembly seats while the National People's Party (NPEP) was ahead in six constituencies.

Assembly and Lok Sabha elections were held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh in the first phase of polls on April 19.

The counting process is being managed by over 2,000 officials.

"A three-tier security arrangement has been made in all counting centres," said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pawan Kumar Sain.

An estimated 82.71 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the assembly polls while the turnout for the two Lok Sabha seats in the state was recorded at 77.51 per cent.

Votes polled in the two Lok Sabha seats in the state would be counted on June 4 along with the rest of the country.

The BJP had won both the Lok Sabha seats and 41 assembly constituencies in the 2019 polls. The JD (U) had won seven assembly seats, the NPP five, Congress four and the PPA one. Two Independent candidates had also emerged victorious.

CM Prem Singh Tamang wins from Rhenock

In Sikkim, Chief Minister and SKM supremo PS Tamang won the Rhenock Assembly seat by defeating SDF's Som Nath Poudyal by 7,044 votes.

SKM candidate Samdup Lepcha also won from the Lachen Mangan seat.

Tamang, his spouse Krishna Kumari Rai, ex-Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, state BJP president DR Thapa, Speaker Arun Upreti and senior minister Lunga Nima Lepcha are the prominent candidates among 146 nominees.

An estimated 80 per cent of the 4.64 lakh voters exercised their franchise on April 19.

An additional four per cent of votes were cast through postal by government officials and employees, the CEO office said.

(With inputs from agencies)