New Delhi: Ten MLAs of the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) joined the BJP in presence of BJP’s working president JP Nadda and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav at the party’s headquarters on Tuesday.
#Delhi: 10 MLAs of #SikkimDemocraticFront join #BJP in presence of BJP Working President @JPNadda and General Secretary @rammadhavbjp @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/luLtBzAQoh
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) August 13, 2019
The regional satrap, SDF, is headed by former state chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who is one of the longest-serving chief ministers of Sikkim and also of India.
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Till now, Sikkim was the only state in Northeast India where the BJP was not in power.
Sikkim has a total of 32 assembly seats. In the 2019 state assembly elections, the Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) won 15 seats while the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) won 17. SKM is already a partner of the BJP-led NDA.
After the 10 SDF MLAs joined the BJP, its strength in the house falls to just five.
Sikkim Krantikari Morcha: 17
Bharatiya Janata Party: 10
Sikkim Democratic Front: 05