The election verdicts for the Himalayan states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will be revealed today as the votes are being counted. In Arunachal Pradesh, 10 BJP candidates, including the incumbent Chief Minister Pema Khandu, have been elected unopposed. Therefore, counting is underway for 50 out of the 60 Assembly seats.
The BJP has already crossed the halfway mark, securing 10 wins and leading in 22 seats. In the 2019 elections, the BJP won 41 seats. The party's ally, Conrad Sangma's National People's Party, is leading in three seats.
In Sikkim, the incumbent Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) has crossed the halfway mark, leading in 27 out of 32 seats. The Opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) is leading in two seats, while the Congress has yet to secure a breakthrough in either state.
Among those elected unopposed in Arunachal Pradesh are Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Techi Kaso, Nyato Dukam, and Mutchu Mithi. Pema Khandu has won three of his four terms as MLA without a contest from Mukto in Tawang district. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the Janata Dal (United) won seven seats, the National People's Party five, Congress four, and People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) one seat, with two independents also winning.
In Sikkim, the ruling SKM is aiming for a second consecutive term as votes for 32 assembly seats are counted. Both the SKM and SDF have fielded candidates for all 32 seats, while the BJP has fielded candidates in 31 seats and the new party, Citizen Action Party-Sikkim (CAP-S), in 30 seats. The Congress is contesting in 12 seats.
Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang of SKM is contesting from Rhenock and Soreng-Chakung constituencies. Former Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who led the state for five terms, expressed confidence that the people have voted his party, the SDF, back into power. In 2019, the SKM ended the 25-year rule of the SDF by winning 17 seats against SDF's 15, unseating the SDF despite the latter polling more votes.
