Today in Politics: Stage set for results of Arunachal, Sikkim Assembly polls; Kejriwal back in Tihar Jail

The Election Commission (EC) is set to announce the results of the Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim following the counting of votes on Sunday, more than a month after the two Northeastern states went to simultaneous polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19.

Though the Assembly poll results for both states were initially scheduled for June 4 along with the outcome of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in rest of the country, the EC revised it for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim to June 2 since the terms of the two Assemblies come to an end on this day itself.

However, the results for these states’ Lok Sabha seats remain scheduled for June 4.

In Arunachal, just 50 of the 60 Assembly seats went to polls after 10 BJP MLAs, including outgoing Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy CM Chowna Mein, were “elected unopposed”.

The no-contests are a clear sign of the near-complete dominance of the political space in the state by the incumbent BJP, as reported by Sukrita Baruah.

In 2019, the BJP had won a comfortable majority with 41 seats and 50.86% vote share. Among the BJP allies who won seats were the Bihar-based Janata Dal (United) with seven seats and 9.88% vote share and the regional National People’s Party at five seats and 14.56% vote share. While the Congress had won four seats from 16.85% vote share, the local People’s Party of Arunachal had won one seat with 1.73% vote share. Two Independents had also won.

In the election to the 32-member Sikkim Assembly, the incumbent Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) is pitted against the principal Opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF). While the ruling SKM is confident about being re-elected for a consecutive second term, the SDF also claims it will